It was a brutal, vicious crime - sixteen years old. A helpless old woman battered to death with an axe. Harry Painter hung for it, and Chief Inspector Wexford is certain that they executed the right man. Only Reverend Archery has doubts...
because his son wants to marry the murderer's beautiful, brilliant daughter. So he begins unravelling the past to discover that murder breeds murder - and often conceals even deeper secrets.
