This latest of Gerald Hammond's carefully crafted mystery novels, set in the colorful Scottish Highlands, continues the adventures of amateur sleuth, war hero, and dog trainer Captain John Cunningham. When a wealthy businessman brings his wounded springer spaniel, Horace, to the Cunninghams' Three Oaks Kennel, it all seems to be part of a day's work for John and Beth Cunningham. But the spaniel has been wounded by two weights of buckshot, arousing suspicions of foul play. With the Cunninghams on the lookout for answers, events take a sinister turn when one of the judges at a weekend dog show accuses John of cruelty to his dogs. A surprised Cunningham learns that someone has anonymously sent the judge photographs purporting to show Cunningham beating his own spaniel, Stardust - and the implications for Three Oaks are grave. Beth manages to get her hands on one of the photographs, but while she's contemplating this clever bit of fakery, the Cunninghams are faced with an additional twist as they realize that Stardust has been stolen. In his place is another dog, nearly identical to the Cunningham canine, but oddly frightened of men... and cigars. With their beloved spaniel missing, and their professional reputations and livelihoods on the line, John and Beth must act quickly to uncover the motives behind these bizarre and disturbing events. And all signs keep pointing back to the need to find out who shot Horace - and why.