Richard Tanner is found murdered in a model village, stabbed and trussed up like Gulliver in a macabre tableau. The disturbing manner of his death leads Barnaby and Jones to suspect that someone in the village of Little Worthy is criminally insane.

As further gruesome killings rock the community, the detectives face a race against time to unravel past events that lead to the making of a dangerous serial killer.

Midsomer's Chettham Park House, once owned by Sir William Chettham, has been bought by entrepreneur Jack Filby to save Sir William from financial ruin. Long-term friends dating back to the days of university, Jack has allowed William, his mother Elizabeth, wife Isobel and son Freddy to stay on living at The Dower House - the smaller house on the estate where the Baronet's widowed mother would traditionally live. Jack is the man of the manor now with William and Isobel's son Freddy as his right hand man.

The night time peace of Badger's Drift is shattered horribly when teacher Connie Bishop screams in fright, convinced there is an intruder. Days later a local councillor, said to be obsessed with her, is found murdered in her garden. Is Connie the innocent victim she seems? Barnaby and Jones uncover jealous rivals, ruthless social climbers and a cottage with mysterious secrets as they search for the killer.