Their sister, Mary, has sent her daughter on a 'holiday' to Singapore with her uncle and aunt after Fleur announced to her conservative parents that she intends to pursue a career on the stage. Fleur arrives in the company of a new friend she has made on the boat, a girl of her own age - Margaret Strong. Far from being the steadying influence Fleur's parents hope, Maggie's family is deeply involved in the Singapore Amateur Dramatic and Musical Society and once they discover Fleur's talents, the girl is cast to play one of the minor leads in the Christmas production of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance. In order to keep an eye on their niece, Harriet signs on to help with the production backstage and Julian joins the chorus. Rodney, the young man playing the lead, is something of a ladies' man and Maggie, in particular, is besotted with him while Fleur is quite protective of her new friend. When Rodney is found dead at the theatre company's headquarters, the suspects abound. From jilted lovers to angry husbands, Inspector Curran has his work cut out for him. But when Fleur and Maggie take centre stage as the possible culprits, Harriet will have to take the lead and find the killer...
