'All's well' at The Sanctuary, the country home of William and Dorothy Taylor. A haven of tranquillity for their family and friends, the magnificent public gardens of the estate are their pride and joy, and an enchantment to the steady stream of visitors who wander through.

Then Jo comes to work at the tea-room and the peace is suddenly destroyed by a series of chilling incidents: the macabre death of a helpless old woman, the terror-ridden dreams of a young boy, the vicious drowning of a beloved pet. Who or what is responsible?

As fear and suspicion grip the Taylors, only Jo has the power to unravel the mystery - smiling, sphinx-like Jo, whose presence in the Taylor household has become indispensable ...