A woman's body is found on the English seacoast, and twisted in her hair is an article screaming murder. For Inspector Alan Grant, the case becomes a nightmare, as too many clues and too many motives arise.
When Bill and Nora Ashby died Aunt Bee stayed on to bring up their five children. Soon afterwards one of the children, Patrick, disappears and leaves a suicide note at the top of a cliff. Years later a man turns up called Brat Farrar.
When a strikingly handsome young photographer mysteriously disappears, it's up to Inspector Alan Grant to discover whether he accidentally drowned, committed suicide, or met his death at the hands of one of his many female admirers.