When Cedric Tremain is charged with murdering his father by boobytrapping his fishing boat, all the locals agree that he is an unlikely murderer. But the case against him is strong: he has the motive, the opportunity, and the know-how, not to mention the hard circumstantial evidence. Cedric is soon arrested, but Chief Superintendent Wycliffe has a strong sense that something about the case just doesn't fit. As he quietly continues his investigation, a confusing picture emerges. Twenty years ago, Cedric's cousin was convicted of strangling his girlfriend and served 14 years of a commuted death sentence. When the wheels of justice begin to grind, Wycliffe must search for a link between past and present.