Scotland Yard's Adam Dalgliesh investigates the murder of a drug dealer found dead in the basement of a book club. His key witness is a single mother named Sally Jupp who had brought her eight-week-old son with her to the club to visit her former co-workers. The investigation leads Dalgliesh to the country home of the Maxie family, where the young woman is now employed. Mysterious deaths occur, and the detective must deal with a multitude of suspects, evasive answers, and his growing attraction to Deborah Riscoe.