Mike Rogers is a working class man, drifting between lowly-paid jobs. Then he meets Ellie, a wealthy American oil heiress, and his fortunes change. They fall in love and get married. Ellie then buys Gypsy's Acre, a large estate in the country. However, legend has it that the grounds are cursed, a belief reinforced by Mrs Lee, the local gypsy. She harangues any potential buyer of Gypsy's Acre, forespelling all manner of ill fortune for those that live there. After moving in, Mike and Ellie get death threats. One day, Ellie dies after being thrown from her horse. It looks like the curse has claimed another victim...
Quite engaging - the Mike and Ellie story was interesting and a good relationship drama. Their story was told very well and meticulously, interweaving it with the curse to create good tension.
The murder mystery itself is a bit too obvious. My first thought when Ellie died turned out to be the ultimate solution - not a good sign. Also, because of the time spent on the relationship and the curse, there is less time for the mystery.
This turns out to be a positive though - the Mike-Ellie story was more interesting than the murder mystery.