Miles and Ekaterin Vorkosigan are enjoying a delayed honeymoon off-world while their first two children are approaching birth in their uterine replicators back on Barrayar.

On their way home, Miles receives Emperor Gregor Vorbarra's command to go to Graf Station in Quaddiespace to untangle a diplomatic incident in his capacity as the nearest Imperial Auditor.

There, he is unexpectedly reunited with the Betan hermaphrodite Bel Thorne, a trusted former Dendarii Mercenaries subordinate and his good friend, now working for the Quaddies (as well as Barrayaran Imperial Security as a secret observer).

"[1] Booklist was mixed in their review saying "though Miles remains clever and debonair throughout, too many early series references needlessly obfuscate a breezy, conventional, albeit deep-space, whodunit.

"[2] Paul Brink, in his review for School Library Journal called it a "quick read (with) an abundance of plot twists", noting that Bujold "gets the technical details right, but keeps explanations to a minimum".