Determined to rebuild her life following a suicide attempt, beautiful young American concert pianist Jessica Beaumont retreats to a 17th century cottage near the village of Kenwick, in rural England. She is embroiled in the murder investigation of a secretive neighbor who was hacked to death in his manor house with his own kitchen cleaver. She soon becomes romantically entangled with one of the murder suspects, a handsome wealthy landowner. Hungry for love, she flings herself full-tilt into an affair with him. Then, on a rainy evening, Detective Inspector Michael and "Mick and " Chandra of New Scotland Yard shows up at the door of her rented cottage, informing her that he has been assigned to reopen the case. Against the backdrop of a violent murder evolves a passionate love story. When Jess herself finds the critical clue to the killing, she is threatened to become the next victim.