Flu and a long period of work had left Rose depressed and she was taking a break at Harbour Inn, not too far from home and still in the middle of the Romney Marshes From out of the past comes David Lofthouse, who had saved her life and about whom she has ambivalent feelings When two attempts are made on his life, Rose begins to get angry and a little frightened and then four people die None of it makes sense until the sea provides Rose and David with the answer that enables them to unravel a tapestry of murder