The imposing estate at the end of Oak Lane in Carteret County, North Carolina, is the domain of Lady Rena Laurel Chadwick, a mysterious and eccentric recluse whose wealth, political clout, and nebulous past have made her a favorite subject of local gossip and speculative intrigue. Lady Rena, who dresses in Victorian costumes and speaks with a British accent, lives alone except for six cats; her redoubtable housekeeper, Marcella; and Dr. Corbeau, a graduate of Duke Medical School who enjoys playing a stoic butler. Not a single resident in the coastal rural community of Williston has seen Lady Rena leave her house in the last thirty years, but Lady Rena has one confidant-Harry Wade, a neighbor who lives down the road with his wife and faithfully visits Lady Rena. But when Marcella's son suddenly dies under suspicious circumstances and then Marcella disappears without a trace, Harry, his wife Rosemary, and a sheriff's deputy become embroiled not only in an intriguing murder case, but also find themselves facing specters from the past. In this lively tongue-in-cheek murder mystery, someone-or something-is harboring a secret in Williston, and it is up to the motley crew of detectives to find out what it is.