A Dog's Life — Gerald Hammond

Novelist Tim Russell is out walking his dog one morning when he comes across a young dishevelled woman, camping out in the woods. Tim takes pity on her and offers her shelter, and Ann soon proves herself to be good company. But suddenly, one afternoon while gardening, Tim is brutally attacked. As Ann's relatives start coming out of the woodwork, Tim and Ann wonder if they've found the motivation for the attack after all. But then a local man is murdered....