When Edward Blake's wife India was kidnapped, he didn't trouble the police, just paid the twenty five grand ransom. But when she didn't show up and the kidnapper went to ground, he did call in the law, who figured that the whole thing was a set-up between India and some secret lover. But then, three months later, she turned up in a box, having been left to starve to death. The police became really interested, especially when they found out about the two and a half million pounds' worth of life insurance he'd taken out on her the year before. But with no proof they had to let Edward Blake go. The insurance company, however, is less than keen on paying up. Jill Sheridan, insurance assessor, needs someone to do some legwork, poking around in odd corners of Blake's life, and her thoughts turn to an old flame: Sam Turner...