Morse was beset by a nagging feeling Most of his fanciful notions about the Taylor girl had evaporated & he had begun to suspect that further investigation into Valerie's disappearance would involve little more than sober & tedious routine The statements before Inspector Morse appeared to confirm the bald simple truth After leaving home to return to school teenager Valerie Taylor had completely vanished & the trail had gone cold Until two years three months & two days after Valerie's disappearance somebody decides to supply some surprising new evidence for the case