A passerby discovers the body of a woman in an isolated farmhouse during a violent gale, prompting a police inquiry in a tight-knit northern village. The narrative follows the slow, methodical investigation as villagers, officials, and shadowy observers become entwined in questioning and suspicion. Clues, misdirections, and local gossip complicate attempts to establish motive and identify the perpetrator, while the weather, rural lanes, and communal rhythms shape both the inquiry and the portrayal of social relations that ultimately lead to the crime's resolution.