James Mortimer Liddel is charged with the murder of Lancelot Hay. All, however, is not as it seems and a real conundrum develops for the famed Inspector West of Scotland Yard. There are visiting Americans; false accusations; a trial, and behind it all a spy ring. All seems cut and dried, the file on the murder can be closed, or can it? Only West and his uncanny instinct for the truth will get to the bottom of this complicated puzzle.