When Arthur Wakefield dies of a heart attack whilst trying to stop a burglar, Nick is reunited with faces from his past - the Tinniswood family. The culprit, Terry Tinniswood, manages to escape a prison sentence thanks to his family's dodgy statements, sending Arthur's wife on a mission to make life unbearable for the whole family. Meanwhile, Greengrass becomes embroiled in a feud with Hector Cowley, an unpopular police officer, for the winning prize of the annual Aidensfield fair.