The body of a murdered girl washed up by a pier leads Gently and Bacchus to investigate the staff and holidaymakers at a family holiday camp. They explore how the youth of 1969 have more independence than their parents and discover that with fewer families coming to the camp, the ideal of the family holiday begins to break down. Gently and Bacchus delve into this world of fame seeking and sex, and discover the dark underbelly of a permissive society as the traditional family dynamics of the past begin to crumble.

Throughout the 60s, Northumberland coal mining was decimated as competition from oil, gas, cheap imports and nuclear power led to the closure of dozens of collieries. Burnsend is potentially one such community. Once a thriving colliery town, the future of the town's pit hangs in the balance as the coal board consider closing it. The mysterious death of the union leader in the mine leads Gently and Bacchus to explore the tensions and relationships in the community. They encounter families driven by politics and caught in grudges that date back to the Second World War.