Who is Verity? That becomes the central question for American writer Nora Tierney, who has moved to her new Oxford home with her fiancé, DI Declan Barnes, and her young son. Declan's new case at Exeter College coincides with a frantic call from Nora's stepsister, Claire Scott: A fellow graduate student has died in a fall, and Claire begs Nora to help her prove her friend didn't commit suicide. The sisters conduct their own snooping, while Declan and his tam juggle this death with a cold case that proves to be more surprising than Declan could ever imagine.

The fifth in the award-winning series is a mix of amateur sleuth and police procedural, one Nicola Upson (the Josephine Tey series) says is "A fine addition to a wonderful series", noting, "Graff delivers her trademark blend of compelling mystery, vivid setting and engaging characters - and in Nora Tierney she has created a sleuth whose humanity and insight are the stars of the show. I loved it."

"A compelling victim, and a murder that hits a little too close to home for Declan and Nora's peace of mind. Graff weaves an intricate web of past and present secrets, against the literary backdrop of Oxford University. A perfect detective story." (Anne Cleeland, author of the Acton and Doyle series)