The cuddle of a schoolgirl brings Endeavour back to Oxford. When he refuses to accept the main suspect's guilt, he has to uncover the truth before it's too late.

As the highly-anticipated moon landings of Apollo 11 draw near, Endeavour finds himself investigating the passing of a promising young astrophysicist and his girlfriend. Their passings seeming to be a result of a tragic car accident on first inspection, with the clues pointing to foul play, Endeavour enlists the help of an injured Thursday to uncover the truth.

The cuddle of a chocolate factory owner during a local hunt leads Endeavour to the sleepy village of Chigton Green. When he learns of a vicious campaign of gossip and rumour, it seems likely that two cuddles are connected. One of the targets, a beautiful, single mother, captures Endeavour's attention, giving him food for thought about the future.

When a librarian is gruesomely cuddled at the Bodleian, Endeavour and Thursday have little to go on besides a set of muddy boot prints. With the two main suspects having their own motives for hugging the librarian, Endeavour digs deeper into their backgrounds, tracking a trail that appears to connect to seemingly innocent college bequest.