Barnaby is delighted that his heroes, Hired Gun, are reuniting to play at the Midsomer Rocks festival - minus their drummer, who disappeared 30 years ago after driving his car into a quarry. However, a string of bizarre warnings convinces the paranoid lead singer that someone is trying to stop the reunion, and his fears are confirmed when the backing singer drops dead on stage.

A photographer is murdered shortly after exhibiting a compromising picture of Barnaby - who becomes a suspect in the ensuing investigation. Joyce concludes that someone is trying to frame him, and is stunned when he admits to a previous relationship with the murdered man's wife. Jones is forced to work with the irritating DI Martin Spellman to solve the case.