The Pit-Prop Syndicate

Seymour Merriman, a young wine‑merchant from London, is on his annual tour of French vineyards, winding his motorbike through pine‑clad valleys and over quiet bridges. The journey, meant to be a pleasant mix of business and leisure, pauses when a slow‑moving lorry catches his eye on a lonely stretch of road. The driver’s keen, almost unsettling demeanor hints that the vehicle is more than a simple freight, pulling Merriman into a situation he never expected.

That chance encounter sets off a chain of odd proposals and uneasy alliances, drawing Merriman into the shadowy world of a clandestine trading network. As he uncovers strange cargoes and cryptic suggestions, the line between legitimate commerce and illicit scheming begins to blur. With his curiosity piqued and danger quietly gathering, he finds himself reluctantly entangled in a mystery that could upend his comfortable routine.