Rachel's plans to spend Christmas with her fiancé are in tatters after he is called to Italy at short notice.
She decides to take a last-minute Canary Island cruise. Sarah, cruise ship nurse and Rachel's best friend is only too pleased to have her along. With Sarah's parents joining the cruise and her mother keen for her to settle down she is glad of the moral support.
On the coach journey to Southampton, Rachel meets a petulant maître d. The same maître d is found dead later that evening. Rachel can't resist snooping once she suspects an element of foul play. Was it a fatal asthma attack or murder?
Chief security officer Jack Waverley finds himself confused and upset when his wife becomes implicated.
Suspects are not in short supply as secrets among crew and passengers are uncovered providing opportunity and motive. The killer has an eye on Rachel.
Can she find out who is responsible before she ends up another victim?