The villagers confront the truth of their past and exorcise their collective demons as Gamache makes a breakthrough in the murder case and realises Marc’s killer had a very personal motive. Meanwhile, Lacoste makes a discovery relating to Blue’s disappearance that seems to identify a key suspect.

Gamache and his team get to the heart of the case, excavating decades-old resentments and deeply buried secrets in the Morrow family as they do so, and make the key discovery that enables them to identify the killer. Meanwhile, Lacoste’s elation at making a breakthrough in the Two-Rivers case proves short-lived and a tragedy leaves her shell-shocked.

Gamache and his team unearth a tragic story that provides the key to the victim’s desire for vengeance, and by doing so leads the team to his murderers. Meanwhile, it falls to Gamache to apprehend the individual responsible for Blue Two-Rivers’ disappearance, putting himself in grave danger as he does so.