Scotland Yard's Commander Adam Dalgleish is asked by Gabriel Dauntsey of the Peverell Press to look into an anonymous poison pen letter he received. It said that as he contributes nothing, he should do everyone a favor and take his own life. This is not the first such letter he's received but they are interrupted when Peverell employees discover the body of Sonya Clements in the firm's archives room.

After Gerard Etienne is found dead in an upstairs room at the Peverell Press, Commander Dalgleish and DI Kate Miskin arrive to investigate. DI Daniel Aron joins them, his first day as a member of the team. Dalgleish's friend Gabriel Dauntsey notes that the room in which Etienne was found had apparently been cleaned. He also noted that the room was quite warm. Almost everyone at the firm may have had a reason to want him dead.

After author Esme Carling is found floating in the Thames, Dalgleish re-questions the woman's 11 year-old neighbor who admits Esme wasn't home the night Gerard Etienne was killed. Others who may have had reason to want him dead have equally shaky alibis. DI Miskin looks into those and one in particular does not stand up to scrutiny.