When an elderly gentleman is found dead at the foot of a staircase, ship s officer Timothy Birch is ready to declare it a tragic accident. But James Temple, a strong-minded Scotland Yard inspector, is certain there is more to this misfortune than meets the eye.

Birch agrees to investigate, and the trail quickly leads to the theft of a priceless painting. Its very existence is known only to its owner…and the dead man.

With just days remaining until they reach New York, and even Temple s purpose on board the Endeavour proving increasingly suspicious, Birch s search for the culprit is fraught with danger.

And all the while, the passengers continue to roam the ship with a killer in their midst…