The corpse of a beautiful woman, clad only in a bathing suit, is found on a popular Sussex beach at the end of a hot, sunny day. Apparently, she was murdered in full view of dozens of other holiday makers. Establishing the victim's identity is difficult but when it is finally learned that she was a Bath resident, Inspector Peter Diamond is called in.Diamond, the gruff individualist, must cooperate with Henrietta Mallin, the original senior investigating officer. Yet a third policeman enters the picture, a cocky young officer who is highly regarded by his superiors if not by Diamond. Several national celebrities have been targeted by a serial killer whom the police refer to as the Mariner because he leaves notes with a quotation from Coleridge's "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" as his signature. The powers that be attempt to forestall Diamond's efforts lest he impede the search for the Mariner. Read Less