Jimmy Jenner is a retired Metropolitan policeman. Retired because of injuries caused by a terrorist bomb in Regent Street. Jimmy was always ambitious to become a detective and now he has - the private variety. Smart but disabled - missing a foot and deaf in one ear - he lives off his wits, and his contacts in the East End. The odd writ here, the odd piece of divorce work there - it keeps him out of trouble. Until he is asked to do some minding - of Alison Duncan, the wife of a boxing manager. She's beautiful, of course, but unfortunately soon after, she is dead.

Jimmy takes his failures personally and trying to right the wrong, he is plunged into a world of international crime, too-clever detectives and too-rich criminals. So now Jimmy is the Sam Spade character he has always aspired to be. But the stakes are getting higher all the time as he mingles among the London and Costa del Sol lowlifes.