The droll Scots detective Bob Burns is once more aided by forensic scientist and ladyfriend Dr Julie Bryson and abetted by overly-keen Andy Green. Working undercover on a cruise liner bound for the Canary Islands Bob and his two sidekicks have plenty to cope with. The discovery of a severed finger in a passenger’s quiche lorraine sparks an investigation full of greed guile deceit and double-dealing. Does the finger belong to an alleged man-overboard victim? Was the man-overboard victim pushed or did he commit suicide? Is it all just a cleverly engineered insurance scam?

Part of the Bob Burns series.