There are only eighteen black people living in Kingsmarkham. One is Wexford's new doctor, Raymond Akande, who took over the retiring Dr. Crocker's practice. When the doctor's daughter, Melanie, goes missing the Chief Inspector takes maore than just a professional interest in the case. Melanie has only just left university, and, unable to find a job, had been to sign on social security. She disappeared somewhere between the Benefit Office and the bus stop. Or at least no one saw her get on the bus when it came. According to her parents, Melanie was happy at home. She had recently broken up with her boyfriend, but, until now, there had been no cause to worry about her. And no one liked to voice the suspicion that something dreadful might have happened, that Melanie might be dead. . . Against a background of rising unemployment and social change, Wexford is involved in a case which tests not only his powers of deduction, but his basic beliefs and prejudices.