A burglar is found shot dead in the home of Viscount Tallis, a wealthy industrialist. The man was equipped with a stethoscope, and appears to have been attempting to open a safe in the study.Tallis himself is in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, on his way to America on Government business. Although various members of his family are present in the house, together with guests, nobody has access to the safe - nobody even knows what it might contain. It isn't even clear if the safebreaker succeeded in opening it.Detective Inspector Tommy Rees is given the case. Rees is approaching retirement, and has never had to investigate a murder in his rural county before. Initially he has little choice about taking advice from two or three people who are themselves on the suspect list. Eventually, he must rely on the goodwill - and deep pockets - of the absent Lord Tallis.