A Yorkshire mining town is haunted by a mysterious tragedy in this "admirable addition to Hill's Dalziel/Pascoe series" (The Washington Post Book World).

Reginald Hill "raised the classical British mystery to new heights" when he introduced pugnacious Yorkshire Det. Inspector Andrew Dalziel and his partner, the callow Sgt. Peter Pascoe (The New York Times Book Review). Their chafing differences in education, manners, technique, and temperament made them "the most remarkable duo in the annals of crime fiction" (Toronto Star). The Gold Dagger Award–winning series was adapted into a long-running hit show for the BBC.

Colin Farr has returned to Burrthorpe—and to judgmental whispers. His father had once been implicated in the disappearance of a little girl, and his apparent suicide confirmed the suspicions. Defensive, troubled, and handsome, Colin's only comfort is with his protective and infatuated tutor, Ellie, wife of Inspector Peter Pascoe. But their increasingly questionable relationship isn't all that's testing Pascoe's patience. So is solving the crime that's plaguing Colin's family history. But when another murder rocks the mining town, and all clues point to Colin, Pascoe and Dalziel must descend into the darkest depths of Burrthorpe to unearth its secrets.