Professor Larry Cross gets back with his children, Pete and Deb to their birthplace, New Zealand, after many years in England. But this proves to be the start of a family feud, starting with Larry being arrested at the airport.
A terrified phone call, two mysterious deaths, an Egyptian exhibition - and suddenly Professor Larry Cross is the only survivor of the team who excavated the Tomb of the Priest-Kina.
The Flying Kiwi, Cross's magnificent vintage car, which attracts attention wherever it goes, is stolen by a conman who ingratiates himself with the Cross household.
Professor Cross discovers that his bank account has been credited with funds from the Archaeological Exploration Trust. This puts the professor in a hot spot as he must explain the reasons for his receiving the money.
Pete and his pal Hone take their hang-gliders to the cliffs above the beach. At the same time, their uncle James Marriott's surveyors are at work in this nature reserve. Pete's kite crashes into the cliff-face.
Debbie and Hone go to one of New Zealand's famous black-sand beaches to catch the waves while Pete joins the Beach ranger who has a different catch on his mind - poachers.
Marriott only has feelings of bitterness for his relatives, the Cross family. But for Pete, he has tempting plans. Miriana's ex-fiance reappears in her life and Hone wants to join an outlaw motorbike gang.
Professor Cross has been offered a post at Cambridge and it looks as if things will not be the same for the family now. Meanwhile, an unexpected threat arises.
A canoe with a skeleton on the prow keeps appearing from the mists and guys in Maori-style dress spook the locality. Pete is abducted by them and revealed as a convert to the cause when the masks are all pulled off.
A deadly, infectious disease is plaguing the animals around while the Marriot Research Laboratory is trying to find an antibiotic that will arrest the disease.
