Journalist Ben Harper is on his way home when he sees the flames in the churchyard. The derelict community centre is on fire. And a boy is trapped inside.

With Ben's help the boy escapes, only to flee the scene before he can identified. Now the small town of Haddley is abuzz with rumours. Was this an accident, or arson?

Then a skeleton is found in the burnt-out foundations.

And when the identity of the victim is revealed, Ben is confronted with a crime that is terrifyingly close to home. As he uncovers a web of deceit and destruction that goes back decades, Ben quickly learns that in this small town, everybody is guilty of something. And that even in the most unexpected of places, evil lurks . . .