Dan Curran is a rookie journalist newly recruited from university to the Castlebridge Gazette, a struggling provincial newspaper owned by distinguished Fleet Street veteran, Jack Marston. Although sad to have moved away from home Dan relishes his newfound freedom, away from his father's disapproval of his new career.

Dan's first assignment is to investigate why the Castlebridge District Council have inexplicably reversed a decision to sell council-owned land known locally as Abbott's Meadow, thwarting a local builder's development plans. This seems to be a 'nothing story', destined to be just a by-line on a slow news day. However, Dan's visit to see a council elder provides unconvincing answers, and he sets out to uncover the truth. By chance, Dan meets a pretty council finance officer, Julie, who gets drawn into helping Dan's investigations. He takes courage from her fiery temperament and soon finds himself falling under her spell. Together the two of them uncover a web of intrigue, deception, crime and even murder, all leading back to the secrets of Abbott's Meadow.