Julia is all too aware of her failings, unable to cook, nervous and tongue-tied at any social event, lacking confidence. Moving to a country cottage in a beautiful but isolated spot is just what she needs to lift her depression and with Mark, her loving husband, new friends and hobbies, life starts to look better. But in a short time she's displaying a startling change of personality, criticising and belittling her new friends, shop-lifting, even giving in to violent tendencies. Is she bipolar, psychopathic or could her apparent addiction to the water from the old bore-hole in the garden be to blame? Is there a connection to earlier inhabitants as far back as Victorian times or could there be a malign influence somewhere close by the cottage? Mark sets out to solve the mystery of his wife's strange behaviour in his own logical but unorthodox fashion, but his interference leads to an unexpected turn of events.