When Major Greywell books a large family party into the Golden Lion Hotel, also known locally as The Brass Cat, it seems as though it could be good for business. No sooner do they arrive, however, than the lives of both guests and the local residents seem destined to change forever, or perhaps not be quite what they seemed in the first place to the untutored eye. For hotel employee Brenda Royce, more than most, the events of that snowy few days threaten to change everything she accepted as normal, and turn typical existence upside-down. For Saul Catchpole, Detective Superintendent, these events are perhaps not so unusual, but even he finds that they are combining with his own family strife to take on a life of their own. Sue Woodcock weaves a story of familial intrigue and ruthless dealings, all hinging on the change of a will.