East Midlands farmer Bernard Bailey, a violent man with a brutal temper, stands to pocket a hefty inheritance if he produces a son. After destroying one wife attempting this end, Bailey turns his next marriage into a twisted business arrangement. After six months of receiving highly publicized death threats, Bailey's corpse is found on his secluded farm. But the unusual question for Det. Chief Inspectors Lloyd and Hill is, why wasn't the monster killed sooner? Beneath the obvious lies a labyrinth of deceit--and the shocking truth lies deeper still. A Mystery Guild selection.