Before James Lessiter had time to return many years later to his native Lenton to inherit the family mansion, he was found with a broken head. Was it a revenge killing, for a solid inheritance, or is the motive in something else? The more testimony and evidence the police collect, the wider the circle of suspects becomes. It's good that Miss Silver came in handy to visit her friend and agreed to take up the investigation... A secret blows from the old hotel towering on the rock. The "Wheel of Fire" - in the not-too-distant past a haven of pirates and smugglers - is now the scene of an unexpected murder. Strangely, the descendants of the late hotelier gathered here are in shock, the police are at a standstill, and only Miss Maud Silver is able to shed light on this mysterious crime.