A writer with an obsession with murder and mystery, makes an impression on the police and then more so, after a little girl goes missing near a river. Tess is suspicious and he is interviewed, whilst the police investigate him further.
A famous crime-fiction writer visiting Mt Thomas for research purposes is asking a lot of questions about the death of a baby 25 years ago. When he discovers the body of a missing child, Tess wonders if he is capable of committing the very acts of violence he writes about. Tom confronts the author, who reveals his intimate connection to the long-closed case of the baby's death. How can Tess and Tom separate fact from fiction?