Barnaby and Jones discover that Midsomer County is home to a secret pagan cult after one of its more prominent members is murdered. Suspicion initially falls on the author of a book alleging that the sect's rituals are merely the product of drink and an overactive imagination. But soon it seems that all of the members of the Magic Circle have something to hide.

Midsomer's cycling club is amused by the Bucketman, who throws red paint over road hogs, all employees of the Soft Earth computer company, the latest victim being its pompous boss Clinton Finn. Club president George Jeffers also angers Finn by threatening to expose a glitch in the air traffic control system Dr. Jeffers has devised, the scrapping of which will cost Finn millions. Another club member, Emily, is killed in a nocturnal hit-and-run whilst...

On the Midsomer Golfclub Whiteoaks a member is killed with a golfclub. In the course of the investigation they discover Whiteoaks to be full of hatred, gambling, violence, jealousy and extortion.

A number of murders near a government safe house in Midsomer appears to be connected to a group of British spies stationed in East Berlin during the Cold War.