In the Central Criminal Court - The Old Bailey - Sir David Metcalfe, distinguished QC and Chairman of the Bar Council, is conducting the most important defence of his career - his own. Accused of the wilful murder of his terminally ill wife, Sir David finds himself locked in legal combat with his old rival, Anthony Blair-Booth QC, prosecuting counsel. After a tense and gripping courtroom scene, Act 1 ends just as we are about to hear the jury's verdict.

Act 2 takes us back in time to the fateful night of Lady Metcalfe's death and before, and the play ends with a surprising twist. Jeffrey Archer's first stage play enjoyed a successful run in London's West End, with Frank Finlay and Wendy Craig in the leading roles.