Gerald Hadleigh, secretary of a writers' circle, is found battered to death the morning after the group's meeting with best-selling novelist (and former psycho-therapist) Max Jennings. Gerald did not want to invite Max to Midsomer Worthy, and he seemed apprehensive about the visit.Barnaby's investigations show that Gerald was a man of mystery - he had no National Insurance number, no family, and no marriage certficate to go with his wedding photographs. And it seems he had a mysterious woman visitor on the night of his death... then Max Jennings goes missing and is found dead.

Barnaby and Troy are in Badger's Drift again, this time to investigate the murder of an unpopular property developer called Richard Bayly who had been suffering from a brain tumour. Bayly had recently come up with plans to build a new housing estate in the sleepy village, despite determined local opposition, and he was killed with an Indian sword belonging to Stephen Wentworth, the local Vicar. Another interesting factor is the recent arrival in the village of Simon Fletcher, a theatre director with unhappy childhood memories and perhaps an old grievance.

Barnaby onderzoekt de moord op Madeline Villiers, een gepensioneerde lerares die gepassioneerd was door de teelt van zeldzame orchideeën. In haar dagboek leest Barnany dat ze geregeld verre reizen maakte om beschermde orchideeën over de grens te smokkelen en voor veel geld te verkopen. Zo heeft Madeline de bloem 'Yellow Roth' verkocht aan een dorpsgenoot. Niet alleen hij, maar ook andere voormalige eigenaars van de orchidee, zijn overleden.