Shane Thurgood, back home from Newcastle, is shot and killed. A mile away, the van of a poacher named Linus Campion has been burned. Campion blames Allen Barnes, a gameskeeper who is his former father-in-law. Barnes' other daughter Clara Peyton is married to an estate owner.
Shane is back to sell his grandfather's farm, and originally sold it to the Peytons, who backed out of the deal.
Part of figuring out why Shane was killed is to find the roman a clef he wrote about his relationship with both of the sisters. Vera is hoping there are clues there. His ex-wife had visited him shortly before his death and warned him to stop "stalking" her sister.
It turns out that the death is more about something else.
Love Vera and Joe, but I had a hard time getting into this one for some reason. I also found it a tad confusing - whether it was or wasn't, I don't know. It could be my attention drifted. The episode that followed this one, Protected, is way superior.
Still, I am so glad the series is back and sad to learn that David Leon will not be back next year. It won't be the same without him.