Harry Salter was once a Fleet Street high-flier: he got the stories, he got the expense account and he got drunk. But now he lives on his wits running a Darlington news agency. His first task: investigate a death framed like suicide and track down a rogue tattooist.
Earlier in his career, Salter reached features editor status on Fleet Street, before the drink took hold. Now he's sniffing out stories for his agency. In this time, a routine patrol with the motorway police uncovers a dramatic incident.
A trio of graverobbers think they've struck lucky until an antiques expert enlightens them. Meanwhile, Salter anxiously awaits the arrival of an old friend.
Salter's fictional colleagues feature when an ex-army officer is murdered on his patch. He goes off in hot pursuit of the IRA suspects, intent on selling the story to the national papers, but discovers that the real villain is somewhat nearer home.
Jonathan takes his video camera to cover a sick child's birthday party, which escalates into a hostage situation. Meanwhile, Salter is contacted by the sinister owner of a champion fighting dog.
Darlington's fearless newshounds stumble across the perfect tabloid shocker this week when Salter, just out of prison, sees a man breaking down a door with an axe. But this turns out to be even more juicy than the average Mad Axeman story, for the door in question belongs to a 'glamour' photographer who has been producing pornographic pictures of local girls.
With an important Italian client to impress, Salter turns to invention. At the same time, he has an exclusive interview with a local football hero, but how can he make him sound interesting?
Nothing more than a conventional Sunday-paper tribute would seem to be called for, as far as the news agency is concerned. But a visit to ex-reporter Dan Finch raises the ghost of a 15-year-old murder trial with Masonic entanglements.
During a surprise party to celebrate the broadcast of Jonathan's Video Diary, he gives Salter some bad news, which causes bad feeling all round. But Salter is soon on the trail of a financial scandal involving a local employer.
A surgeon appeals for help, but Salter's hot on the trail of a much bigger story — so big he's prepared to ditch his crew to follow his lead to London and abroad.
Salter goes out with a real scoop, causing a disgraced MP to resign, earns plaudits and more work from his Fleet Street masters, and manages to upset his wife and staff back at the agency.