Winter 1953. Robert Lynnford, star crime-reporter of The London Herald, discovers – while investigating the murders of two nightclub croupiers and the fraudulent activities of an investment advisor in the City of London - a dead body with all the hallmarks of an assassination. And first on the scene, Lynnford quickly becomes, for some, himself a suspect.

Meanwhile, Lynnford’s investigations broaden, and a Polish woman who has fled to post-war Britain seeking refuge from communist Poland soon becomes a person of interest for the journalist. Embroiled in murder and the theft of government secrets, she is being tracked down by British and foreign secret security services, and only subterfuge and her wits can keep her alive and safe. Lynnford faces a dilemma: who is she really, and should he try to catch her or help her escape?