Barbara Pomeroy leads a busy life as a Planning Inspector, but after she receives an anonymous threat regarding her young son Toby, her courage and professional integrity are placed under question. With his mother often away from their St. Ives home, Toby is cared for by his retired father, who had recently made a friend of Clarissa Trelawny, an attractive but mysterious newcomer to the town. Clarissa soon becomes like another parent to Toby and showers him with presents.Clarissa's murder send shock wave through the community. Could Barbara Pomeroy have killed her in a fit of jealous rage? Who exactly was Clarissa Trelawny? Above all, was there a connection between the murder and the mysterious telephone threat?