Exeter, 1857. During the Guy Fawkes celebrations, respected stationmaster Joel Heygate fails to appear. When the bonfire has burned down, his charred remains are found among the ashes, turning a public festival into a murder scene for the South Devon Railway.
Colbeck and Leeming discover that Heygate was less universally admired than his reputation suggested. A rejected lover, a resentful colleague and a violent relative all have motives, while the stationmaster’s missing diary may explain who wanted him dead as Colbeck’s own wedding approaches.