Newcastle based lawyer Eric Ward is surprised when an important local shipping firm, Goldsteins, pay him a large retainer to do some work for them. One of their ships, the Sierra Nova, has been 'arrested' and is unable to leave the port. The reason given for the arrest is that one of the crew, Edwards, has been caught smuggling drugs - but now he's been removed from the ship, why can't the voyage go ahead? Things get even more complicated when Edwards is killed on his way into the courtroom. Just what has been going on aboard the Sierra Nova?