After an artist's model dies in a suspicious incident, the aristocratic Detective Chief Inspector Alleyn and his down-to-earth assistant Inspector Fox, investigate. Matters get complicated with a houseful of suspects, blackmail, another death, and Alleyn's growing attraction to the painter Agatha Troy.
Spring, 1948. Sir Hubert Handesley livens up a week-end party at his country house, Frantock Hall, with a jolly game of murder - but one of his guests really does end up dead. When Alleyn is called in, he finds he has to solve more than one mystery, as a famous and enormously valuable silver cup has disappeared without trace.
A British politician dies after an operation, but his wife believes he has been murdered. Alleyn investigates the nursing home where the cabinet minister died, and finds things there are indeed not as they should be.
Troy has a commission to paint the portrait of Sir Henry Ancred, a famous actor, at his house in the country, Ancreton Manor. She finds Sir Henry far from well, and before long sends for Alleyn in his own professional capacity, to investigate a sudden death. He finds a complicated tale of anonymous letters and arguments over the dead man's will - and decides to have the body exhumed.
A well-known barrister dies in an incident at a village pub, seemingly killed by poison on the tip of a dart. Alleyn has to deal with a mystery which is not at all what it seems to be.
Lord Gospell is found murdered during a ball at the house of society hostess Evelyn Carrados, and Alleyn has to find the killer. To the horror of Lady Carrados, it appears that the killer was not on her guest list. Then Alleyn discovers that a blackmailer is at work.
Alleyn travels to the sleepy village of Chalfont Green when a body is found there in a ditch.
A war of words breaks out on the Scottish island of Portacarrick after a boy's warts appear to be cured by the waters of Pixie Falls, a spring with legendary powers. Miss Emily Pride is the lady laird of the island, while her rival Miss Elspeth Cost wants to turn it into a health centre to compete with Lourdes. After someone tries to kill Emily Pride, her old friend, Alleyn, comes to the island on holiday to investigate. He finds adultery and bitter sexual rivalry.
Alleyn travels to the sleepy village of Swevenings, where an aristocrat has been found bludgeoned to death by a stream. The dead man, an old soldier of the Great War, was planning the publication of a friend's war memoirs.
