London, 1931. Controversial artist Nick Bassington-Hope falls to his death on the eve of an important exhibition, and the police record the incident as an accident. His twin sister Georgina, a former wartime journalist, believes he was murdered and asks Maisie to investigate the family, gallery and patrons surrounding his work.
The inquiry moves from Mayfair’s art market to the isolated landscape of Dungeness, where Nick had been preparing a major canvas. His war service, difficult relationships and the commercial value of his reputation produce several possible motives, while Maisie discovers that the message contained in his final work may be as dangerous as the truth about his death.