Sunshine, an idyllic and almost forgotten island under British rule, is shortly to become independent. But a few days before this event is to take place, the British governor of the island is shot. Her Majesty's secret service is called in and Sam McCready asks Desmond Hannah of Scotland Yard to take charge of the case. When Hannah arrives on Sunshine, he notices the subdued atmosphere of fear reigning there. An aggressive presidential election campaign is being conducted, but neither of the two candidates appears to be very trustworthy. The attractive widow Lady Beatrix Coltrane tells Hannah that most of the island's inhabitants are not looking forward to independence because they fear that either of the two candidates for the presidency will abuse the island for his own benefit. One of them, Tomson, is probably involved in illegal drug-peddling in connection with the Colombian Medellin cartel; the other one, Livingstone, is said to be collaborating with the Cuban government. Lady ...