When Barbra Delaney comes into P I Grace Smith's office, looks her in the eye and announces "I'm filthy rich and I've decided to make a will leaving the lot to a complete stranger. I've chosen you . . .," Grace thinks she may be hallucinating. It is, after all, the stuff of which daydreams are made.

For forty-something Barbra - sleek blonde shoulder-length hair, light make-up, plain gold watch and wedding ring - seems real (and wealthy) enough. She hands Grace the photographs of three complete strangers, and tells her to find their names and addresses so that she can will all her dear departed husband's worldly goods to them.

But, as Grace tracks down the lucky legatees, she discovers that they all have their own reasons for not wanting her poking around in their lives. When a series of increasingly violent events culminates in a very nasty death, it seems that someone will stop at nothing - not even murder - to stop Grace finding out the truth . . .