After the murder, suspense and corruption that plagued the beginning of their relationship in The Apricot Colonel, Cassandra and the colonel are relieved to be happily ensconced in newly wedded bliss. Not for long though: their domestic idyll is suddenly shattered by the news that a friend's daughter has been found dead of an apparent drug overdose. A death which our two detectives aren't convinced was an accident.

As they dig deeper, they uncover a manuscript that is an explosive expose of the local child prostitution scene. Our detectives don't have far to look for a motive for murder . . .

With characteristic panache and a magnificent wardrobe of women's clothes (his), Cassandra and her colonel set out to find a killer, immersing themselves in the seedy side of our nation's capital. Along the way they also learn a great deal more about each other, revealing new depths to this delightfully unconventional relationship.