A back room in Somers Town

As an art dealer, Tim Simpson doesn't have the luxury of thinking only about aesthetics; he may have an artist's heart, but it had better be covered with a businessman's pinstripes if he's going to turn a profit. Simpson's new job seems ideal: He's been hired by a London merchant bank to buy art--as an investment. The first painting he sees, though, won't make anyone rich. However, it seems somebody wanted the painting; within hours of Simpson's first viewing, the painting's been stolen and the dealer killed.