It's almost Christma, and actress and amateur sleuth Gwinny Tuffel is still pondering what to buy DCI Birch (retired) and whether she could adopt a new furry friend. But sorting through her late father's papers leads her into his mysterious past, pointing to an enigmatic 'liaison' now living in a Somerset commune populated by a group of retired spies. When Gwinny and Birch are unexpectedly snowed in at the remote farmhouse, they find that any skeletons in her father's closet have been joined by a body in the attic. Surrounded by people for whom keeping secrets is second nature, along with an energetic Cocker Spaniel, Gwinny and Birch are embroiled in a murder case once again. Will they uncover the culprit and escape in time for Christmas?