Immunologist Dr. Jessica Shepard finds herself in a coastal Irish village, staying at the Victorian hostelry, Castle Ryan. She's been invited there to meet with a television producer and screenwriter. Jessica sparked their interest due to recent exploits that provided her with an unexpected new career--that of amateur detective of mysterious murders.

Jessica soon finds herself embroiled in local legend. A very rich man built Castle Ryan long ago for his wife who had literary aspirations. Before that woman could indulge her creativity through publication, she was found dead under suspicious circumstances. Fast-forward to the present, and a guest at Castle Ryan has been found murdered.

With possible ghost sightings hanging over her head, Jessica again enlists the help of her admirer and frequent partner in investigation, Canadian narcotics detective inspector Alain Raynaud. The case will take them from Castle Ryan to the exciting capital of Dublin and back. Along the way, they learn how the past and present converge to relate a modern murder to one of the past.