The Informers of the title are a loose grouping of underworld types upon whom Scotland Yard inspector Nigel Patrick depends for crucial information Patrick gets in trouble with his superiors when he refuses to reveal the identity of his informants He gets into even more trouble when while investigating the murder of one of his snitches Patrick is framed on a corruption rap by Margaret Whiting THE INFORMERS was based on DEATH OF A SNOUT a novel by Douglas Warner