"A missing two-year-old girl, and the body of an unidentified drowning victim have brought Homicide Squad Inspector Hal Challis, of the Peninsula Police Force, to Bushrangers Bay at the Australian seaside not far from Melbourne. All is not idyllic in this resort community; far from it. Cars are stolen and torched; letter boxes are being burned. Is it mischief, or the prelude to even more serious crimes?"
A good friend, attractive Kitty Casement, runs an aerial photography service and flies a Kittyhawk. Challis is restoring a 1935 Dragon Rapide aeroplane; their mutual interest has brought them together. Each of them prefers to soar alone, high above the earth. And then one of Kitty Casement's aeroplanes suffers malicious damage." The once-peaceful beach resort becomes the site of multiple murders. Are all the crimes linked? It is up to Inspector Challis to find out before more innocent people are killed.