Miss Melinda Pink, renowned Scottish mystery writer, arrives at the sleepy scottish village of Sgoradale, determined to finish her last book amidst peace and quiet. But she soon discovers that what the villagers consider their singular 'discretion' actually masks the most sinister happenings. There are anonymous letters, hints of blackmail and a cottage burns to the ground in the middle of the woods. A self-proclaimed spy—a marked man or, as the villagers insist, an eccentric local who 'tells lies'—vanishes shortly after the disappearance of his wife and children. And finally, there is a murder in this quiet lochside retreat. Miss Pink has seen snares in action before, and she is well aware that in capable hands—and given a sharp twist—a snare can be turned into a noose...