Travelling salesman Hopjoy has disappeared — to the relief of many husbands, the rage of innumerable creditors, and the alarm of two mystery men from London, who know him as a spy. Is he dead? Purbright investigates.

After solving the mystery of the missing Hopjoy, Purbright turns his attention to a 'lonely hearts' killer, whose next victim might be the fragile-seeming Miss Teatime. But she's deceptive.

Miss Teatime and her mysterious suitor both get an unexpected comeuppance, but will the former escape being murdered? As Purbright appreciatively notices, she's tougher than she looks.

Several otherwise reputable sexagenarian Flaxborough men seem to be under the influence of a potent aphrodisiac in a series of assaults on local women.

Purbright traces the drug affecting the male senior citizens in Flaxborough to either a herb supplement or an experimental prescription drug.

After the death of Harold Carobleat, his wife Helen is shocked to find that he's left his estate to a neighbour who is subsequently found electrocuted.

When a third member of the quintet of prominent citizens is murdered, Purbright uncovers the covert prostitution ring behind them.