Ian Rooney

When a young woman’s body is found floating in Lake Wendouree, Dr Blake can’t help digging deeper into the mystery. There is more to the case than meets the eye. Blake is certain the deceased girl - a runaway from the local reform school - was dead before she was dumped in the water. The autopsy proves his theory but finding the killer is more complicated.

On the eve of Anzac Day, Dr Blake bumps into a former British Army colleague at the police station, Major Derek Alderton. Alderton is in town, trying to track down two army deserters believed to be hiding out in the area. But before they can reminisce, Dr Blake is called to the morgue where the body of the attendant, Bert Prentice, lies with shocking injuries in a pool of blood.

Blake returns from China, and finds himself thrown straight into a murder investigation: the newly elected Mayor of Ballarat is found dead at the bottom of the Town Hall steps. But threads of betrayal, adultery and double dealing lead him to some high and low places, and Jean - kept in the dark - worries for him.

Tensions have reached boiling point between Doctor Blake and Major Alderton - Blake now knows Alderton has been using Mei Lin in a psychological game of cat and mouse against him. So when Alderton is found dead at Ballarat Observatory during a once in a century eclipse, and the police learn Blake was at the scene, and fled, the hunt for the killer turns back onto Blake himself...

An investigation into what initially appears to be a routine suicide becomes personal when Cec Drury begs Blake to find out who really killed his younger brother, Rod. When it becomes clear he’s dealing with a murder, Blake's investigation uncovers an insurance scam, a second murder and a dark secret at the heart of the Ballarat fire station and it’s volunteer fire service. Meanwhile Jean may have discovered a secret about Mei Lin that will call into question everything she’s told Blake since her arrival into their lives...