At an event that the Jefferson Hunt Club attends in Kentucky, a storm sends a limb crashing into a grave dated from almost a hundred years ago at an equine cemetery. It is discovered that there is a human body and canine body in the grave as well as that of a horse. Thus begins interest in who could possibly have been in the grave, along with interest in the horse buried there, too. As the hunt season progresses, back home in Virginia, details are learned that appear to link horses and people from the past to the current time.I hadn't any particular interest in the whole industry of people on horseback who follow foxhounds which are trying to sniff out foxes. But Brown skillfully weaves her tale, showing the people who love their horses, their dogs, and even the foxes (which were not chased to be killed, I need to add). As we are introduced to these characters in rural Virginia, we learn that the hunt club is very structured; there are a few employees, but there are mostly dedicated, unpaid volunteers who have specific tasks and places to be during the hunt, and specific actions to take before and during a hunt, as when a fox is sighted, or if the fox has gotten to an area of safety, away from the hounds. Seventy-three year old Sister Jane Arnold (not a nun; it's not clear how she got her name) is the Master of Foxhounds, in charge of the Jefferson Hunt Club's hunts. Through her and her companions, we also learn about horse breeding and lineage. And solve a murder.
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