When a second murder occurs during a holiday visit, retired botany professor Andrew Basnett must untangle a web of suspicion to exonerate his hostess. Basnett finds himself thrust into a tense domestic environment where his friends, Tony and Jan Gardiner, live under the cloud of an unresolved past death. As the police maintain their focus on Jan, the arrival of a new, bizarre killing forces Basnett to apply his analytical mind to the case. The narrative follows his methodical investigation as he navigates social obligations and hidden motives to uncover the truth behind the suspicious circumstances.

This work is characteristic of the traditional mystery genre, emphasizing the intellectual puzzle over visceral thrills. The narrative relies on the established persona of Andrew Basnett, whose academic background provides a distinct lens for observing human behavior and inconsistencies. Readers of the genre likely appreciate the methodical pacing and the focus on the domestic tensions that define the central conflict. The story functions as a classic example of the amateur sleuth trope, where the protagonist must navigate social decorum while pursuing a dangerous truth.