What could be more peaceful than a week in the beautiful countryside of the Lake District? An attractive self-guided cycling holiday, advertised as easy, sounded like the answer to so many problems. It attracted Ruth and Janey. They were looking after their two nieces over the autumn half term after a strange accident to the girls' parents. Then, was there a good reason why Simon had dragged his beautiful fiancé, Clarissa, on what to her was a holiday from hell? Did Harriet have an ulterior motive when she persuaded unfit and overweight Glenda to come on such an unsuitable holiday? And when he suddenly decided to take them to the Lake District, were the reasons Theo gave his three nephews the whole truth? Then there was the good-looking Gideon and his friend, David. Were they there by chance? Were the young honeymoon couple what they seemed? And what connection was there with any of them to Rodney and a tax inspector? Fourteen-year-old Becks goes missing on Kirkstone Pass, then Harriet is found dead behind a dry stone wall by the side of the road. Two days after that, in the place where Harriet was found, the bodies of one of the participants of the cycling tour plus two strangers, are discovered together. Are these events all connected? And why is someone trying to kill Clarissa? Inspector Aurelia Cavendish knows the identity, and is following, one of the members of a vicious drugs ring, but who are the others? She has information that their drugs manufacturer will be a participant on the cycling holiday, and a confusing picture of disappearances, murders and intrigue emerges for her to disentangle. Even when the participants return home, Aurelia's problems are not over as she becomes embroiled with continuing threats to Clarissa's life.