A man discovers the mutilated body of a young woman on the moors, and becomes obsessed with tracking down the beast that has defiled what he regards as his kingdom.

Stephen's passion for the Moor fuels Detective Inspector Manciple's suspicions in his hunt for the killer, but will Stephen's neglect of his wife drive her into the arms of danger?

A secret hideaway from Stephen's childhood leads him to the real `master of the moor'.

Alice Whittaker grows suspicious of those closest to her when her best friend mysteriously disappears.

Alice falls ill after eating yogurt given to her by Mr Feast.

By now Alice's obsession with murder is at fever pitch - Nesta has still not reappeared. Harry Blunden implies that Alice should look into her husband's background.