Thea Osborne embarks on her second house-sitting commission with very few worries, after the first disastrous venture during which she became entangled in a murder case. But the Phillips' are obviously a laid back family, and there is little to do but tend an ailing pony and feed various furry pets and farmyard birds. However, it seems Thea is jinxed as an apparent suicide takes place in one of the barns.DS Phil Hollis is more than a little surprised to find Thea at the centre of this second police investigation, and realizes that she can be more of a hindrance than a help, but they find themselves working closely together to solve the mystery once again.