'If this man succeeds,' the agent said, 'he will damage us as much as he damages you.'

Secrets are going missing from the Foreign Office cypher room in London.

Hilary Manningham-Butler is in the process of moving house and takes up the offer of a temporary berth from Oliver Chisholm, a gambling acquaintance and work colleague who just happens to be MI5's number one suspect.

Hilary arrives at the lavish Belgravia residence to discover a household riven with division. Staff and family members are preparing for the Royal Jubilee but other more personal matters are threatening to derail proceedings; matters that may well lead to murder.