Inspector Othman proved himself an agile investigator during his first appearance in Philip Garrard's Men of Some Principle. Having uncovered the truth behind the mysterious death of MI5 scientist Dr. Rob Williams, he deftly nabbed the assassin. His ties to Williams, however, now lead him down another dangerous path in Inspector Othman.

Weary of his work with the Cairo police, Othman accepts an invitation to visit his friend Rania Hakim in London, who is still struggling to get over the death of Williams, the man she loved. An Iraqi archaeologist, she has accepted a new job at the British Museum, and Othman is excited to visit.

The trip also allows him the opportunity to help another friend, Magda Ishmail, after she receives a cancer diagnosis that prompts her and her husband to travel to London for treatment.

Othman may be in London for a respite, but the city has other plans. MI5 is falling apart after several mysterious killings, and after the events of the previous book, the organization suspects both Othman and Rania of being involved. The two will have to dodge an assortment of lethal, duplicitous operatives in this tense political thriller. Can they emerge unscathed?