It is 1939 - World War II is looming, Oswald Mosley has awoken fascist sympathies among the British aristocracy and, in London, socialites are gathering for the start of the Season.
Enter astute, Oxford graduate Hope Stapleford, whose quick wit, love of books and keen observations set her apart from her peers. Her rebellious friend, Bernadette, has persuaded her to take part in the Season, and Hope expects little more than a round of dull engagements and dreary introductions. But when an innocent, young debutante goes missing from their very first house party, feared to have been kidnapped or worse, Hope's curiosity is piqued. With Bernie and their new acquaintance, the amiable rogue Harvey, Hope soon finds herself thrust into a web of political intrigue that threatens the very heart of the nation...