Marella Carney, the 'Black Canary', was once the queen of magic. That was fifteen years ago, before her twin sister Beryl - the secret behind her incredible illusions - was killed in a horrific accident after rehearsals for a trick went wrong.

On the day her estranged daughter Hannah returns from Australia, Marella is seen by her husband remonstrating with a limping man in the snow outside her house, before committing suicide with a shotgun.

But why do the pathologists think Marella died five hours before the shooting, and why were there only one set of footprints in the snow? One man may have the answer - and it may not be Jonathan Creek...