A craft centre in the old mill at Morton Fendle is losing money. Several locals have invested in the business and believe they have been swindled by Alan Hollingsworth, the man behind it. When Hollingsworth's glamorous wife Simone goes missing, Barnaby believes she has been kidnapped and puts Hollingsworth under observation. However, Hollingsworth evades the police, carrying a bundle of cash, and a woman neighbour who follows him to his rendez-vous is killed in a bizarre road accident. Then Hollingsworth is found dead, and Simone turns up alive. Barnaby guesses she and a friend faked the kidnapping, but he can't prove it.

At a local New Age commune (fancifully called the Lodge of the Golden Windhorse) William Carter is found dead with a broken neck, lying at the bottom of a staircase. Barnaby and Troy have to decide whether the death was an accident or murder.

The sleepy village of Martyr Warren is invaded by quarrelsome New Age travellers, some of whom fall out with Hector Bridges, a local magistrate. The police are well aware of the tensions, but matters come to a head when Hector is found shot dead. It quickly appears that he was feared by almost everyone in sight, including his own family. And there is more to the travellers than meets the eye - one of them is a former British army officer who fought alongside Hector in the Falklands War... Then (as so often happens to Barnaby and Troy) another dead body is found, this time that of an old man at the travellers' camp.Meanwhile, Barnaby is not feeling in full fighting trim for murder investigations, as Joyce has put him on a strict diet to lose weight.

Unearthly happenings in and around a local museum create an atmosphere of terror.

The Midsomer Regatta is halted by the discovery of the body of the chairman of the Midsomer Rowing Club floating at the finishing line.

Barnaby and Jones investigate the shooting of a blackmailer, Martin Barrett. But he had so many victims, they are spoiled for choice for a suspect. Then one of his victims, Sir John Waverley, gets another demand. The trail leads them to the seaside and diving for treasure on an uncataloged wreck.

When Dr Alan Delaney is killed by a hit and run driver, Barnaby realises the real target was Delaney's senior partner, Dr James Kirkwood. Is the killer trying to prevent James from marrying beautiful divorcee Delyth Mostyn? And how is his death linked to £30,000 which is missing from the surgery accounts? Barnaby and Jones must travel to Snowdonia to unravel the truth.