A Cotswold Ordeal

Thea Osborne and her spaniel Hepzibah embark on their second house-sitting commission with very few worries. After her first disastrous venture, in which she became drawn into a murder case (A Cotswold Killing), a few jittery nerves might be expected. But Thea, ever confident, is convinced that lightning will not strike twice, and arrives at adyllic Frampton Mansell with renewed enthusiasm. The Phillipses are obviously a lovely relaxed family, and the area is full of fascinating history for Thea to explore. Her tasks are light - tending an ailing old pony and feeding various furry pets and farmyard birds. But it seems she is jinxed: within days of her arrival she finds a body hanging from the rafters of one of the barns. Was it suicide or murder? Detective Superintendent Phil Hollis oversees the investigation, and is more than a little surprised to find Thea once again at the scene. And not just surprised. As the days go by, they find themselves working more closely together - although Thea can be more of a hindrance than a help. Not to mention the accident-prone Hepzibah. And for good measure, Thea's distraught older sister Jocelyn arrives with her own crisis to deal with.