A prison van is blocked on a remote road and a notorious murderer is lynched. Two prison warders are also murdered. What emerges is a massive international conspiracy. But one of the murdered warders is a close sailing friend of Tom and Emily Stoneman and their journalist friend Dave Manning. The police can get nowhere and Dave the yacht journalist takes matters into his own hands to unravel the puzzle. Now Both Dave and his pregnant wife, Josie are in danger. He finds a wealthy tycoon is heavily involved along with false accusation, and a disgraced politician. All concludes in a terrifying final confrontation. This takes place in an England in the coldest winter for one hundred years. Likewise some of the action is in New Zealand in the equivalent hottest summer.