Spring 1940. Maisie Dobbs is asked to investigate the disappearance of a local lad, a young apprentice craftsman working on a 'hush hush' government contract. As Maisie's inquiry reveals a possible link to the London underworld, another mother is worried about a missing son. But this time the boy in question is one beloved by Maisie.

Spring, 1940. Following Britain's declaration of war on Germany, Maisie Dobbs has been investigating the disappearance of a young apprentice working on a hush-hush government contract. Her investigation leads from the countryside of rural Hampshire to the web of wartime opportunism exploited by one of the London underworld's most powerful men. When a final confrontation approaches, she must acknowledge the potential cost to her future -- and the risk of destroying a dream she wants very much to become reality. Meanwhile, the plight of thousands of soldiers stranded on the beaches of France causes one of Maisie's friends to make a decision that will change his life.

Spring 1940. With Britons facing what has become known as "the Bore War," Maisie Dobbs is asked to investigate the disappearance of a local lad, a young apprentice craftsman working on a government contract. At the same time, a boy Maisie knows and loves goes missing too.

Spring 1940. Maisie Dobbs is asked to investigate the disappearance of a local lad, a young apprentice craftsman working on a 'hush hush' government contract. As Maisie's inquiry reveals a possible link to the London underworld, another mother is worried about a missing son. But this time the boy in question is one beloved by Maisie.

Spring, 1940. Following Britain's declaration of war on Germany, Maisie Dobbs has been investigating the disappearance of a young apprentice working on a hush-hush government contract. Her investigation leads from the countryside of rural Hampshire to the web of wartime opportunism exploited by one of the London underworld's most powerful men. When a final confrontation approaches, she must acknowledge the potential cost to her future -- and the risk of destroying a dream she wants very much to become reality. Meanwhile, the plight of thousands of soldiers stranded on the beaches of France causes one of Maisie's friends to make a decision that will change his life.