The year is 1921. A passionate affair between a romantic woman and her dentist has led to his wife's murder. The lovers take flight aboard the Mauretania and the dentist takes the name of Inspector Dew, the detective who arrested the notorious Dr. Crippen. But, in a disquieting twist, when a murder occurs aboard ship the captain invites "Inspector Dew" to nvestigate. This may be Lovesey's most ingeniously plotted mystery for which he was awarded the CWA Gold Dagger.