Barren Revenge

A series of unrelated petty crimes culminates in the murder of Judge Sir Leo Farling's houseman in his Cotswold mansion. Could revenge be the motive and Sir Leo the target?

Detective-Superintendent George Thorne of the Thames Valley Police is immediately called in to investigate. As he begins to track the criminals, he is distracted by the mysterious disappearance of his wife Miranda, a crossword puzzle constructor. All the evidence suggests she's gone off with another man, but Thorne is convinced she's been abducted. But by whom? And why? As he struggles to find the answers, he is met at every turn with more troubling information. The shadow of Miranda is everywhere and if the case doesn't crack soon, it seems that Thorne might. The boys down at the station house are convinced he's gone around the bend and the boss would like to see him take a vacation...perhaps a permanent one.