Back at the Intelligence Department, Albert Campion takes an interest in Saltey, a remote and tight-lipped Thames estuary village. The place has a long history of smuggling - and holds a secret rich enough to make someone threaten, terrorize, murder...
A bit snobbish and a trifle high-strung, Sybil Foster prides herself on owning the finest estate in Upper Quintern and hiring the best gardener. In fact, she is rapturous over the new asparagus beds when a visit from her unwelcome stepson sends...