After Jack's juvenile antics get him - and George - demoted to the missing persons unit they investigate the disappearance of lawyer Ted Finch, whose body is later found in a river. His widow was having an affair with work colleague Charlie,but he had an alibi and the trail leads to the gym where Ted was last seen alive.George finds herself drawn to one of its members,leading Jack to believe she is in danger and mount a clumsy rescue attempt before working out what really happened to Ted.

As George and Jack investigate the murder of headmaster Brian Chaps,his neck skewered with a knitting needle,George's parents' divorce preys on her mind and Jack's attempts at levity do not help. Prime suspect is parent Davina Hall,who rowed with the victim and has a knitting needle in her bag but being left-handed exonerates her. Several other mothers,all avid knitters,admit to trying to bribe Chaps to enrol their children and Jack falls for one of them but George believes she is the killer. Will a second murder prove her right?