During his time as an inspector with the Paris Surete, Monsieur Pamplemousse had been "in at the death" on more than one occasion; but the phrase took on an entirely new meaning when he was present at the spectacular ending to Cuisine de Chavignol, France's premier television cooking program. Seated in the front row, he watched in silent horror as the host, having downed an oyster in close-up, uttered a strangled cry and slowly but surely disappeared from view behind a kitchen worktop. As screens across France went blank, hands reached for the telephone and the media swung into action. Eyes glued to the Pamplemousses' television, Pommes Frites, dog extraordinaire, has his own views on the matter. Claude Chavignol was a bad egg if ever he'd seen one, and in his experience villains seldom came out smelling of roses. Subsequent events prove him right as usual, but not before both he and his master find themselves caught up in a bizarre world of unrequited lust, murder and blackmail in high places.