The last Earl of Wynherne lies dead on the study floor. His daughter is missing and seemingly respectable Mr Allerton is found stabbed in the leg. Fenland Detective Inspector Hadley is called in to investigate, but in this retro world of gangsters and corrupt city police a wrong move could destroy the fragile alliances and trigger war after thirty years of uneasy peace. This novel is set in a future where the Anti-Technology League collide with demands to restore former levels of technology, rival gangsters battle for dominance, and government agencies are determined to reinforce their message that the world is united in peace and prosperity - by any means necessary. Into this mix comes the last of the Coulgranes of Wynherne, hell-bent on revenge.