Called to the village of Midsomer Market to investigate someone's car being set on fire, Barnaby and Troy soon find themselves investigating the murder of Marjorie Empson who is found in her home bludgeoned to death. The focus of their attention is the the Reading Club, a group of five women who meet regularly not to discuss books in fact, but to manage a investment fund they have established. Two of the members were hoping to cash out their investments, but were prevented from doing so by the others. There are several other suspects, all in one way or another connected to the financial and investment world, but when a second member of the book club is killed, the police realize they may need to look for an altogether different motive.“开饭店？地方要大一些？小烈，可不是叔说你，草沟区虽然不是闹市繁华区，但因为大学城的原因，地价也不便宜。你这要地方大一些，一年租金可不少。而且这租金，很多都是三年一付，甚至五年一付的！”王进觉得张烈有些不知轻重，把事情想的太简单了，而且开饭店这种生意可不好做。毕竟饭店这行门槛太低，想要挣钱没有点绝活可不行。