No one saw William Tolliver die. So when his body is found shot in a shallow section of the river near his home, a revolver on the bank nearby, the verdict of suicide is inevitable. Refusing to accept that her brother would take his own life, Louise Tolliver sends for the insurance broker and clandestine private detective, Philip Tolefree. Travelling down to Polventor in Cornwall with his friend Farrar, Tolefree agrees to investigate. Soon, the shocking truth comes gradually to light - and Tolefree is left wondering whether it may not have been kinder to let the official verdict stand...