A small community in Dorset becomes the focus of a murder investigation led by out-of-towner DI Alec Hardy. DS Ellie Miller, who feels the job should have been hers, must now form a professional relationship with the difficult and unyielding Hardy.

From an early age, fairy tales and songs convince Zelma that love will solve all of her problems. However, the older she gets, the more this concept of love doesn't seem right.