When a badly-burned body discovered near an RAF base is suspected to be an IRA murder, Special Branch get involved.

When a German businessman is found dead in the sea just off the coast Gently and Bacchus get involved to find the killer and Bacchus, while having money problems, is put in a dilemma when offered a bribe by a suspect.

Gently and his sidekick investigate the suspicious death of Gently's ex-snout, China.