Susan Townsend (Amanda Redman) is being asked by her neighbour to pop down. She has something important to discuss with Susan.
When Susan goes to visit, she finds her dead with another man beside her. It is ruled as some kind of murder/suicide.
The dead woman's husband Bob North (Owen Teale) knew nothing about her affair. He is shocked and grief stricken. Susan seems to be too keen to comfort him.
Being a Ruth Rendell mystery there has to be something more. Especially as it features Magdalena, the vampish wife of the dead man.
It all takes too long to get going. A policewoman thinks that the murder/suicide is just too neat.
The ending of the first episode shines another light on two of the characters. This could had been done half way through the first episode.