"When a timber merchant is found stabbed in the city of Norchester, the local police find an obvious suspect in his son, who is visiting the city with a circus for which he works as a Wall of Death rider. But Inspector Gently soon realizes that there is more to it than appears on the surface and sacrifices his holiday to prove his suspicions correct, much to the annoyance of the city police who are convinced that they have a water-tight case, and...