The East Anglian town of Bottle holds more than one secret for Montague Cork, formidable insurance fact finder, when he comes to investigate the series of accidents befalling Sir Hilary Stagg and his estate. Sixtyish and cautious, Cork proves fairly intrepid on the marches, in the incestuously isolated village, with the involved, jealous Stagg family and just escapes a mangling in his untangling. Imperturbable.