Attending a reunion dinner with his ex-Army colleagues. Mr Goodall finds himself investigating a threat to Britain's security — an event which, if allowed to continue, could bring down HM's government.

Mr Goodall must find the answers to the intriguing puzzles of a strange phone call in the night, a man in hospital bed, a wife who refuses to tell the truth, and a party without guests.

A girl called Clara leads Mr Goodall into a web of intrigue surrounding the murder of a British agent working abroad. As he soon discovers, pretty girls and murder often walk hand in hand.

When a member of the Foreign Office is arrested, Mr Goodall finds himself faced with a race against time in his efforts to save both the man's career and honour.

When Goodall takes Alex to lunch at the country home of his ex-Army friend James Connelly, he finds himself torn between loyalty and friendship. To his astonishment, Alex expresses her dislike of Connelly — a turn of events that reopens old wounds.

When an attentive travel agent discovers a lost passport, Mr Goodall finds himself investigating a mystery on his own doorstep: Eastbourne, it appears, is the main link in a puzzling smuggling racket.