Sex, politics and corruption are at the center of this gripping tale about fraud and intrigue in the small English town of Fordhamton. On the day that his American partners go bankrupt, local businessman Alan Price is killed in a car accident, and his fortune is wiped out. Ex-wife Marion Walker swears to recover her inheritance, by fair means or foul, and enlists the help of Alan's financial advisor, bank manager and staff. Price's death also causes political upheaval in the town, and Mayor Michael Jackson sees an opportunity to seize upon the uncertainty to ensure his own political advancement. As vandalism and arson ravage the formerly peaceful town, Detective Constable Chris Thomson is left with the job of putting the pieces together, but he soon finds that the truth is much more complex than even he could have imagined.