Fred Pearson, a Vietnam veteran, is a broken man after years of punishment from his sergeant. One day, he walks into a bar and sees the sergeant, still very much the arrogant bully he always was.
Shaw, the owner of a newspaper, is controlling and very rich. His wife is content with the money he provides, but is having an affair. When he finds out, he decides to act.
A driver picks up a hitchhiker. They hear on the radio that a serial killer is on the loose, nicknamed Willow the Wisp, and the description matches that of the passenger.
Walter is a vain writer and publisher with a wife and a mistress, based in London, and he likes to show off. He stages a story writing competition, with a £5,000 prize, to find the plot for a perfect murder.
Olivia starts a relationship with a younger man on the basis that she has killed her husband and gained his fortune. Her lover, however, still sees himself as a free agent and has an affair with another woman.
James has walked out on his wife, who still loves him. His lawyer advises him that getting a divorce may be difficult unless he can catch her being unfaithful. With not much hope, he hires a private detective.