Old man Joe Farr, a recluse living on the mountain which overlooks the small Welsh valley of Cwmhyfryd, dies alone after succumbing to his third heart attack. The vicar of that parish is given the duty of calling Joe's son, Jack, estranged from his father and home for 20 years and now living in Oklahoma, USA, to inform Jack of his father's sad death. He also has to inform Jack that he is now the recipient of over £5,000,000 and a newly built Spanish-style hacienda house which confuses Jack as there was never any money in his family. The only way Jack can inherit is to return to Cwmhyfryd and meet the people responsible for this strange bequest. Jack does so - only to confront the same anger and hatred he lived through from the people when he lived here before - including having to deal with his former fiancée who jilted him at the altar. Just as Jack thinks his life is calming down, he finds a murdered woman on his living room floor. A second murder, also implicating Jack, is committed and Jack is now the subject of a police investigation.
