El superintendente Runcorn de Scotland Yard esta celebrando la Navidad en un pueblecito costero. Durante un paseo, tropieza con un cuerpo sin vida en el cementerio de la aldea. Identifican a la victima como Olivia Costain, la hermana mas joven del vicario local. El investigador comienza sus pesquisas para descubrir al asesino, sin sospechar que llegara a conocer los mas reconditos secretos de la vida y la muerte de Olivia, y que ello le abrira las puertas de un nuevo futuro. / Superintendent Runcorn of Scotland Yard is spending Christmas on the wild and beautiful island of Anglesey off the north coast of Wales. On one of his solitary strolls, the lonely bachelor stumbles upon a lifeless body in the village churchyard. The unfortunate victim is quickly identified as Olivia Costain, the local vicars younger sister. In life, Olivia had been a free spirit, full of charm and grace. For Runcorn, she is a haunting reminder of Melisande Ewart, the one woman hes never been able to forget. Everyone on Anglesey is quick to insist that only a stranger to the island could have committed the heinous crime. But the evidence proves otherwise, and the unpopular work of discovering who among Olivias friends and neighborsand numerous eligible suitorsis a ruthless killer falls to Runcorn. A plebian outsider in the drawing rooms of the snobbish local gentry, Runcorn never dreams that the key that will unlock the secrets of Olivias life and death may also, miraculously, open the door to a new future for himself.