Lurking in the post-war East London moors, an imposter snuffs out the life of Lord Tannahill. Assuming the prestigious, luxurious life at the family estate in Uxbridge, he becomes obsessed with witnesses and suspicion. The imposter finds the secret diaries of the old Lord Tannahill; incensed with his own dastardly deeds, he adds his entries into the journals, recording confessions of his dark life. When Lady Tannahill returns to the mansion, she is one more player he can’t control.

Years later, the incriminating journals surface in the hands of Haggedorn, a rare book collector. As news of the existence of the diaries spreads, ruthless bidders race and plot to acquire them for their value in exposing old crimes, murders and historical financial secrets. Haggedorn’s young student employee, Blake, targeted in a blackmail scheme, becomes tangled in the saga of the Tannahill journals, leading to a surprising conclusion.