A visitor is out of luck at the Angel and Duck pub in the West Country: they've been murdered there. The locals are concerned by two things: (a) a mysterious package due imminently; and (b) one of them has to be the murderer. And (c) that person might be looking for more victims. London-based Chief Inspector Samson arrives with local boy Detective Constable Morton to investigate. Morton's initial enthusiasm at having such an important visitor quickly dissolves as he concludes that London has used the opportunity to get rid of one of their rejects. He finds himself being mentally and physically dragged into every dead-end in the county. Eight-year-old Thuthan wants to do the sword-dance with him with real swords. The beautiful and enigmatic Carry looks down on him as a country bumpkin. There's a nude painting of Carry somewhere he can't find. And he keeps waking up with nightmares after being treated as the fatted calf. His only aim in the end is to solve the case before the irascible old fool Samson accidentally trips over the solution. But the denouement, when it comes, is something only one of them ever expected.