In the wake of Kim Philby’s escape to Moscow, his closest friend in Britain’s Secret Service, Nicholas Elliott, is under investigation.

Investigator Lily Thomas understands that Elliott is never going to divulge anything of value in a conventional interrogation process so she manipulates him.

Lily has forced Elliot to remember more than he perhaps ever wanted to about Philby. Months later, Elliott receives a letter from Philby asking for a meeting in an East Berlin bar.