Feelings are running high in the small mining village of Bellingsworth. There has been a call for further strikes from some of the miners which has caused deep divisions amongst the close-knit community. But things take a macabre turn for the worse when retired miner Len Hopkins, who was known to be against a new strike, is found murdered in his home.

Detective Inspector Monika Paniatowski quickly learns that Len had been threatened the night before he died by another old miner in front of numerous witnesses at the local Miners' Institute. Could he have been killed simply due to the stand he took against further strikes? Or are there more sinister forces at work?

As Paniatowski and her team try to uncover the truth, Monika soon finds that she has problems that lie much closer to home .

As usual, Spencer produces a fine police procedural with enough twists to keep even seasoned readers guessing, and enough substance and style to satisfy even the most demanding fan * Booklist *

Spencer expertly mixes political intrigue, lust, greed, and long-held secrets against a backdrop of bleak mining life