Hardcastle’s mission to find a headstrong young woman leads to some disturbing twists and turns.

March, 1919. The head of CID at New Scotland Yard has a task for Divisional Detective Inspector Hardcastle of A Division: find Lily Musgrave, the missing daughter of Austen Musgrave MP.

Hardcastle, aided by Detective Sergeant Charles Marriott, discovers that the headstrong Lily Musgrave provides risque entertainment for a number of ex-officers. When she returns home of her own accord, however, Hardcastle assumes the case is closed and turns his attention to arranging the finer details of his daughter Maud’s wedding.

But no sooner is the wedding over than Lily Musgrave goes missing again. And this time, finding her might not be so easy …