Having discovered that he is too short to join the police force, Cole Meredith bids farewell to his ambitions and decides to become a college lecturer instead. However, Cole's training in criminology and his detective instincts do not remain redundant for long, and are put into action when he spends a weekend with his partner, Judith, and her parents, Lord and Lady Dunning. The weekend proves to be far from ordinary, culminating in an evening of mystery, intrigue, and, ultimately, murder. An intruder is chased through the gardens and, later, Lord Dunning is found dead in the study so, at the request of Judith, Cole starts a meticulous investigation until the police arrive. Finally the killer and the motive are revealed, but not until two further murders have been committed?