Lord Francis Powerscourt is visited at home in London by the Bishop of Lynchester who wants his advice about the suspect death of an aged parishioner. Powerscourt advises that discretion rather than accusation is the best way forward, but this is just the start of his association with the diocese of Lynchester. The death of the parishioner has left available a property in the cathedral close which traditionally the church rents out to a suitable tenant. Four worthy candidates are nominated ...and then one of them, the retail king of the south of England, is found dead in the house, poisoned by strychnine.