Causton is buzzing at the opening of a new brewery on the site of a famously cursed Abbey. But excitement turns to fear when a man is found boiled to death in one of the vats. DCI Barnaby and DS Winter are puzzled; could this really be about beer?

A butterfly collector is found pinned to a wall like one of his specimens.

Barnaby gets to relive his former sporting glory when a death at the local Rugby Club sends Barnaby and Winter into a muddle of rucks, grudges, romance… and artisanal chocolates?

Barnaby is less than impressed when Sarah drags him to a wedding. But things go from bad to worse when Barnaby must unveil a murderer with an apparent penchant for local brides.

Things take a gruesome turn when Ferabbees Circus comes to town, bringing with it a chain of sinister clown sightings, threatening notes and deathly dangerous circus acts. Barnaby will have to face up to his fears in order to solve the case.