Holidaying with her family on the Cote d’Azur, Inspector Beth Parker is inadvertently caught up in a crime investigation when her brother is found dead on a yacht, the day after his twenty-first birthday. What appears to be death by misadventure, soon turns into a murder investigation when further ‘accidental deaths’ crop up.
Teaming up with the local police force, Beth discovers that a series of murders have occurred; all similar in style, all apparently ‘accidental’ and all targeting the heirs of rich and titled families living in Italy. Beth’s initial investigations are stymied by Italian cop, Inspector Pinato, who’s reluctant to share the limelight, so Beth works undercover - and out of her jurisdiction - to pursue her brother’s killer. Fitting the pieces together, Beth finally has a suspect for the murders: Carla, the daughter of a former prostitute who was abused by the heads of these wealthy families.
When an upcoming event for the wealthy Morosini twins is announced, Beth makes a calculated guess and heads towards Venice for their party. There, she finally encounters Carla who’s planning on killing the heirs to the Morosini fortune. However, she’s thwarted in her plans by Pinato - who’s drawn the same conclusions – and when the twins are killed before their eyes, Pinato and Beth patch up their differences, determined to catch Carla before she kills again. In the ensuing chase through Venice, though, Pinato is separated from Beth leaving her alone to catch her brother’s killer. But, as the chase reaches its climax, Beth is badly injured allowing the killer to get away and Beth vowing to catch Carla, no matter what it takes.