The ancient Causton Abbey is now a brewery, but the old curse is still active: one person is found boiled to death in one of the vats shortly after a party to launch a new ale.
Barnaby gets to relive his former sporting glory when a death at the local Rugby Club sends Barnaby and Winter into a muddle of rucks, grudges, romance... and artisanal chocolates?
Barnaby is less than impressed when Sarah drags him to a wedding. But things go from bad to worse when Barnaby must unveil a murderer with an apparent penchant for local brides.
Things take a gruesome turn when Ferabbees Circus comes to town, bringing with it a chain of sinister clown sightings, threatening notes and deathly dangerous circus acts.