There comes a time in every teacher’s life when he must face his Nemesis – the four-yearly Ofsted inspection. The team arrives at Leighford High one glorious summer and proceeds to stick its collective nose into classrooms various, including that of Head of Sixth Form, Peter Maxwell. Just when the atmosphere at the High School has become decidedly fraught, one of the inspectors is found stabbed to death and the shadow of suspicion falls upon Headteacher, James Diamond.

Aided by his inside informant, lover DS Jacquie Carpenter, Maxwell sets out to prove that his colleague is innocent. And the only way to do it is to take on the inspectors one by one…