Nothing is as it seems behind the well-trimmed hedges of the picturesque cottages in the idyllic English county of Midsomer. Beneath the tranquil surface of sleepy village life exist dark secrets. Joyce Barnaby has enrolled in an art class that takes her to the village green in Midsomer Florey. The village is also under surveillance by Barnaby and Troy who are busy with 'Operation Pondlife', an initiative designed to combat street crime. When Joyce finds the body of one of her fellow painters the two detectives start to investigate and uncover more than they had expected. With his wife as star witness, Barnaby is taken off the case and Troy continues the investigation alongside the National Intelligence Squad.