When the body of wealthy landowner Gregory Lancaster mysteriously disappears on the night of his death, the quiet village of Little Malton is thrown into chaos. DCI Barnaby and DS Nelson, along with the newly appointed Forensic Pathologist Kam Karimore, are called to investigate the bizarre case. What begins as a simple missing corpse quickly unravels into a dark and twisted tale of deception, as the team uncovers a macabre conspiracy involving body-snatching and long-buried secrets.   As Barnaby delves deeper, he discovers that Gregory Lancaster was far from the respected figure he appeared to be. The villagers, each with their own motives and hidden agendas, become suspects in a game of manipulation and revenge. The investigation takes a chilling turn when evidence suggests that the body theft may be linked to a gruesome historical practice, forcing the team to confront the possibility of a ritualistic or even supernatural element at play.   With tensions rising and the clock ticking, Barnaby must navigate a labyrinth of lies to uncover the truth. The case pushes Kam Karimore to her limits as she pieces together forensic clues, while Nelson races to track down a shadowy figure lurking in the village. In a shocking finale, the team exposes a killer driven by a twisted sense of justice, revealing how far some will go to settle old scores in the name of vengeance.