It's hard to do a good deed in a wicked world, and harder still to stay alive when people want you dead. Sent to Scotland from his East European homeland to bring back the grand-daughter of the last Archduke, Feliks Berisovic, with the very best of intentions, rescues the wrong woman, antagonizes a psychopath, and shoots an undercover agent, thereby incurring the wrath of almost everyone including the security forces. But whose security forces? There is always a danger the psychopath will get to the Duchess before Feliks does. Even if the wrong woman turns out to be the right one there's still no guarantee of a happy ending, when everyone carries on making mistakes.

At the turn of the year, in a village in Central Scotland, several people come together at the funeral of Mrs Crosthwaite, a dominating woman famed for her fruit scones. Her middle-aged daughter Lesley now has a chance to break out – if it's not too late. Lesley's virtuous neighbour Ruby Robertson, the Scourge of E-numbers, conjures up conspiracy where none exists. Her faithful friend Duncan at the age of fifty is suddenly susceptible to romance, but has an awful lot to learn about women. And the younger generation has its own love tangles to sort out. Meanwhile, out of everyone's sight, something terrible is about happen.