The story takes place in New Zealand during 1938 at the time of the Munich Crisis. The main characters are Standish Steele, a World War One veteran and stalwart of Wellington Society, and his beautiful wife, Millicent. As the events of 1938 unfold in Wellington against a background of growing unrest in Europe and the vacillation of the British Government, the reader is drawn into a fascinating tale of courage and self-sacrifice, greed, pride and vanity. What might have happened had Great Britain continued with its policy of appeasement and New Zealand alone had declared war on Germany? This is no dry political history, however. Human behaviour at its worst, as well as its best, runs rampant here, with flashbacks to the Great War adding flavour to a satisfying read. With unexpected twists and turns this book will grab readers and hold their attention to the end.