Investigating the murder of an old man in his dilapidated mansion, Gently and Bacchus discover a world which is beyond their comprehension.

Gently and Bacchus investigate the murder of a young woman whose body is found in a local church. They discover that the girl was a 'Fox', a waitress working at the first hostess club in Newcastle.

When a young woman is raped and murdered, Gently and Bacchus are thrown into a world of racial intolerance, sexual jealousy and turf warfare.

When a body is found in a local mill, Gently and Bacchus go on to uncover a web of local corruption, blackmail, fraud and robbery.