Neil Pigot

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.

When a young soldier is killed during a routine training exercise, Doctor Blake finds himself at the Ballarat Military Base and again facing his old nemesis Major Derek Alderton. Meanwhile, Blake is distracted by a missing persons case which is looking more like a murder. Blake soon finds the answers in a place he least expects.

When a reporter’s body is discovered on the 18th hole at the local golf course, Blake is called in to investigate whether an errant ball killed the man, or whether he was the victim of foul play. He’ll soon discover a web of intrigue, embezzlement and blackmail leading back to The Courier newspaper, and the new Editor, Edward Tyneman.

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...