Izindawo ezithile zinobuhle nobuhle obubukeka babo bungaba yingozi kakhulu ezandleni zomhleli omuhle. Yilokho okwenzeka eNorthtumberland nase U-Ann Cleeves. Ngoba le ndawo esenyakatho yeNgilandi, emngceleni weScotland futhi iniselwa yiNorth Sea inikeza izindawo zokunethezeka kweqiniso kunoma yisiphi isibukeli noma umdwebi wezwe. Izimfunda ezingapheli ngeso lenyama, izinqaba eziqhamuka zinamandla phakathi kwethafa nomsindo wamagagasi afela buthule ogwini egqokwe ukuguguleka kwenkulungwane.
Ingcebo yemvelo kanye nokuthula okukhulu, iziphakamiso zokubuyela emuva okuhle, kepha futhi nesimemo sokungena ngaphakathi, ungene ngaphakathi kolwandle lomphefumulo kanye nokushayela okuthusayo, esimweni sobubi bomuntu.
Ngakho-ke phakathi kobuhle obungaka, ukutholakala kwengane ebulawe ngunina uqobo kugcina sekudedela leyo mpama yokuluhlaza. Umzimba omncane ulele kubhavu, ekwakhekeni okumnandi kokufa nezimbali.
U-Inspector Vera Stanhope usingatha leli cala futhi uyangenelela empilweni yasogwini yabantu bendawo. Izimpilo ezidlulayo zanyakaziswa ngokuzola kokulingisa kwaleso sikhala esivulekele ingunaphakade. Futhi yile ndlela esihlola ngayo ikusasa lesiphetho sikaJulie Armstrong, umama womfana oshonile, noma imisebenzi kaPeter Calvert, okuvela endlini yakhe isisulu esilandelayo, owesifazane osemusha ogwetshwe intambo enkulumweni efanayo naleyo ingane.
Abanye abalingiswa abaningi abanjengoSamuel Parr noma uClive Stringer bavusa imizwa ephikisanayo, ngaleyo nhloso yomlingo yokwethula izimpawu nezinsolo kumfundi, ngendlela Agatha Christie ukukhuthazwa okwengeziwe okuphathelene nohlobo lwabaphenyi abamnyama.
Imibuzo kanye nophenyo lukaVera nomsizi wakhe uJoe babhala imephu engaziwa yemiphefumulo, iskripthi lapho imizwa noma umuzwa wokugcina okungenzeka ukuthi uholele ekuhlanyeleni okubulalayo kusheleleka njengesibikezelo esingajwayelekile esidala izisulu eziningi.
Manje usungathenga inoveli ethi Iqiniso Elifihlekile, incwadi ka-Ann Cleeves, ngesaphulelo sokufinyelela okuvela kule bhulogi, lapha: