One night, Inspector Montalbano dreams of a stormy sea, which he knows represents unease and loss of control. The next day, a corpse is found on a boat—poisoned—and two boats are still in port. Sailors from all over the Mediterranean are questioned. It seems clear something mysterious occurred aboard a luxury yacht, and there is talk that the rules of the sea are different than on land. Montalbano must navigate the murky waters of his relationship with Livia while trying to find which seafaring suspect is the real murderer.