Chief Inspector Pel and Brigade Criminelle are mobilised when a fatal stabbing, an anticipated delivery of lethal drugs, and the discovery of a corpse in an ancient tower all coincide with a frantic search for two murderous hitchhikers.

The severely battered body of a murder victim turns up in provincial France and the sharp-tongued Chief Inspector Pel must use all his Gallic guile to understand the pile of clues building up around him, until a further murder and one small boy make the elusive truth all too apparent.

A guide to series fiction lists popular series, identifies novels by character, and offers guidance on the order in which to read unnumbered series.