Set in the world of writers and publishing in the cities of London and Dublin, this story takes the reader on a macabre journey of discovery with Alexandra Campbell, who, upon reading an obituary in "The Times" newspaper, realises that the photograph and description of the dead man bear no resemblance to the popular, debonaire, novelist, Anthony Herbert, who has mysteriously dropped out of sight. As Anthony was one of the leading writers contributing to her grandfather's well-known London Publishing House, Sutherland & Coles, Alexandra feels compelled to find out what really happened to him. Her quest takes her to Ireland, where whimsey, superstition and a torrid sexual affaire conspire to throw her off track; and she ploughs into the gravest danger of being horribly maimed or even murdered herself when she discovers the reason behind Anthony's disappearance and the cover-up of the crime, involving illicit sex, drugs and corruption in 'high society', that he had planned to expose in his next novel.