简介：Whenafarmer,WilliamTey,ishackedtodeathwithanaxinhisbarn,ScotlandYardassignsDetectiveInspectorThomasLynleyandDetectiveSergeantBarbaraHaverstothecase.Lynleyisthe8thEarlofAshertonandisagraduateofEtonandOxford;heisonthefasttrackinthepoliceservice.Havershasaworkingclassbackgroundandfeelsthatsheisdiscriminatedagainst.Despitethedifferencesintheirbackground-veryoften,thetwosimplydon'tunderstandoneanother-theymakeagoodteam.Asforthemurder,thereareseveralpossiblesuspects.Tey'swifehadlefthimmanyyearsbeforeandoneofhisdaughtersranawayandwouldhavenothingtodowithhim.Anephewwillnowinherithisfarm,providingagoodmotive.Throughouttheinvestigation,Lynleyhastodealwithformercolleagueswhowouldlikenothingbetterthantobringhimdown.…