The Cotswold village of Weston St Ambrose is facing the wettest winter on record and, as Christmas approaches, the river bursts its banks. Then a dead girl is seen floating downstream and Inspector Jess Campbell is called in to investigate. The body is that of Courtney Higson, the barmaid who'd served Neil Stewart, a local author at the Writers' Club dinner. Superintendent Ian Carter sympathises with Teddy Higson's grief at losing his daughter. But Teddy's a local villain, released from prison on compassionate grounds, and Ian and Jess know they must act quickly to find Courtney's killer before Teddy takes the law into his own hands ...