A classic thriller set in Dorset after the Second World War, full of Household's signature action and suspense. An afternoon's shooting in the country seems a pleasant prospect to Roger Taine, a respected family man with a distinguished military record. But when he discovers a poacher on his land, he fires a warning blast that stops the intruder dead in his tracks. Investigating further, Taine inadvertently uncovers a new-fascist plot which he is determined to thwart. A series of car chases, aeroplane drops and cross-country scrambles sharpen the mystery, but the adventure takes a new twist when Taine discovers that he himself is being pursued by the police.