In 1952 there were children everywhere. Or so it seemed to Daisy Hayes, blind since birth, who at the age of 29 had just tied the knot for the second time-to an intercontinental pilot. But on their first flight as a married couple an engine broke down-sabotage?-and they were grounded.

Now, there are worse places to stop over for repairs than Rio de Janeiro, especially if you're staying at a grand hotel on Ipanema Beach. But then again, Daisy wouldn't be our favourite blind sleuth if during her stay she hadn't stumbled on a murderous plot that exposed her to mortal dangers.

Groping around in the dark, she found her exceptional mind pitted against that of an arch-criminal, and with her usual courage she tried to foil a devilish conspiracy that spanned three continents and threatened the very existence of the most innocent and vulnerable victims.