During a December blizzard in 1919, Rutledge is summoned to an isolated Westmorland farm where nearly an entire family has been murdered. One child is missing, and the evidence cannot establish whether the boy escaped, was abducted or took part in the killings. Snow closes roads and preserves some clues while destroying others, leaving Rutledge dependent on neighbours who carry their own histories of resentment.
The novel uses winter isolation to strip the investigation down to family relationships, inheritance and fear. The war has altered the balance of rural households and brought damaged men home to roles they can no longer fulfil. Rutledge must protect the missing child without allowing sympathy to replace proof.
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