Mrs Esther Payne was a very unpopular lady -right up to the night when she took two sleeping tablets and died. Sleeping tablets don't kill, nor does hate-even so much of it -but when traces of strychine were discovered in the tube of pills that lulled her to her last long sleep, it seemed that hate had found a way. Of motive there was plenty, but four people only had the opportunity to obrain the poison for Esther's deadly nightcap. John Piper, investigating for the insurance company that held her two year old policy for 10.000 pounds, finds himself caught up in a tangle of lies, baffled by so many people who have something they want desperately to hide.