A jinxed bus, a cursed house, a baffling crime, a mysterious old children's book, and the extended absence of a key mahjong player and her mysterious partner, all combine to keep the Merivale Retirement Village rumour mill ticking along and ensure the residents remain on edge as they speculate about recent happenings. With many recent events involving the Village's bus during various excursions, the future of such trips is in jeopardy. When a tragedy befalls a resident on a bus trip to the theatre, Marion Dawson and her special friend, Rod Maguire, know the situation regarding the bus has become critical. There is little they can do about it. Rod and Marion are too busy doing a spot of breaking and entering and breaking cypher codes as an MI6 connection looms large in their investigation into the death of the Village's mysterious new resident.