CI Rose and DS Swift find themselves up against a man determined to see the Inspector drummed out of the force.'Your head will roll for this, Rose. And all I can say is that I never saw a better shape for rolling!'

A confusing case for CI Rose. Day one: a girl almost gets strangled and her husband vanishes. Day two: he returns and gets strangled, and then the wife vanishes. What's amiss? Rose has 24 hours to solve the mystery.

Tommy Fryer is a very methodical man. On May 3, he had one shilling. May 6, one shilling and sixpence. May 11 - five shillings. Entries in a cash book which lead CI Rose and DS Swift into a most unusual affair.

Why do people become policemen? Someone has to do the job. But this is one time Rose wishes he had chosen another profession. Digging into the private lives of strangers isn't the most social activity.

When a murderer appears to have left his calling card, and wishes to be found, CI Rose finds himself investigating an unusual murder to which his theatrical friend Steve Gardiner may hold the answer.

Murder comes in all shapes and all sizes. The victim can be a person's mother, niece or brother. Rose gets the impression that all is not as it first appears when he is asked to investigate a murder in family circles.

'Look, you've had £10,000 worth of publicity already. A murder arrest right in your back pocket. Cut your losses. They may be heavy,' - CI Rose. But will Gardiner take his advice?