On Armistice Day 1918, Detective Inspector Ernest Hardcastle of the Whitehall Division of the Metropolitan Police finds himself on familiar territory when he investigates the murder of a prostitute whose body is found beneath Brighton's Palace Pier. Is it a casual robbery or are there more sinister motives for her death? A beach photographer and an army officer who was involved in the 1917 mining of the Messines Ridge in Belgium both feature high on Hardcastle's list of suspects. And, in a parallel enquiry, a Westminster alderman makes an allegation of blackmail. Is there a connection?

During Graham Ison's thirty year career in Scotland Yard's Special Branch he was involved in several espionage cases and the investigation into the escape of the spy George Blake. He spent four years at 10 Downing Street as Protection Officer to two Prime Ministers and also served as second-in-command of the Diplomatic Protection Group.