Five rich women have diied in June and July in Torbay (known as the English Riviera), one each summer for the last five years. Is there a holiday murderer on the loose? Now, as the sixth midsummer approaches and the area starts to fill up with its annual influx of a quarter of a million visitors, are the wealthy ladies of Torquay once again in danger? What are the chances of finding the killer before the next murder occus?

The local CID are struggling to find a way through the huge amount of evidence which has been amassed over the years. To assist them, DCI Charlotte Faraday and her recently developed computer progrram (which has the ability to rapidly sort through massive amounts of evidence and throw up anomalies), have been temprarily assigned to the division. Despite the fact that many of her chauvinistic male colleagues are sceptical about her skills, will this new weapon help her and DI Stafford Paulson find the murderer before he strikes again?

Meanwhile the beautiful former TV star Susannah Blake (trophy bride of an abseentee wealthy City banker) discovers she is falling in love with accountant Richard Harris, who has suddenly come into he rlife. He is down from London on a fornight¿s holiday and she finds him both fascinating and slightly frightening? Where is that affair leading? What will happen to them? Will the gigabyte detective be in time to find out?