when laura march, on leave from the british security service, is murdered in switzerland with a poison pellet shot from a powerful air rifle, james bond and swiss agent fredericka "flicka" von grüsse are called in to investigate. while at laura's funeral, bond notices among the wreaths a perfect white rose, its petals tipped blood-red and an ambiguous note wired to the stem. his investigation reveals an identical rose and note at the funerals of four high-profile personalities, all assassinated with a week.