The well-heeled village of Temple Minnis presents a facade as smooth and calm as its deep, dark lake. But all is not as it seems. Simon Shepherd's marriage is a sham, his daughter running wild. When he awakes one night to the smell of wood smoke, his fury at the thought of tramps, gypsies or immigrants on his land is fierce--until he sees the exotic and intriguing Bela who has taken refuge there. But Temple Minnis has a darker secret to hide. Thirty years before, the villagers conspired to plan and conceal a murder, but only their dying local novelist, Melissa, suffers from pangs of conscience. As the villagers face up to the past, love turns to fury and tragedy...