It is autumn 1936. Clouds of war are gathering in Europe and the Fascists are covertly assessing possible nuclear resources in Scandinavia. High-flying Cambridge nuclear scientist Dr Dulcie Bennett travels to northern Norway to join an elite group of researchers eager to unlock the secrets of the atom. She makes a startling breakthrough on an experiment but a suspicious lab explosion derails her plans. As she investigates, she encounters troubled Canadian journalist John Kirkwall, in Sohlberg on a personal quest, and they are drawn to each other despite initial misunderstandings.
As winter grips, they become embroiled in a shady world of murky political skulduggery and sexual intrigue, populated by spies, saboteurs, neurotic academics and secret police in a tense race where the victor could tilt the balance of power in Hitler's favour.