As the Masonic Lodge Ladies' Night comes to a close and the guests drift away, a man is found in the car park, garotted at his steering wheel. Murder is no laughing matter, of course, but why look a gift horse in the mouth? DI Percy Peach has always taken a special pleasure in taunting his superior, Superintendent Tucker, about the indiscretions of his fellow Masons - now he's been given a free hand to dig up any amount of dirt about the secret order. And, after all, wasn't the Superintendent there himself that night? Perhaps he should start thinking about getting his own alibi straight...