Charles Lindbergh is the president of the United States, a peaceful country that never became involved in the conflict and is seeking closer economic ties with Japan's Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere.

As pressure grows for Carmichael to release the guests, a search of the Kahns' apartment turns up letters that offer evidence of David's involvement with an underground Jewish organization, which sought the murder of Thirke and the other members of the "Farthing Set".

His ability to act is further hampered by the political situation since Daphne's husband, Mark Normanby, the Foreign Secretary and one of the guests in Farthing House, emerges from the cabinet shuffle as Prime Minister.

Exploiting both Thirke's murder and the shooting incident, Normanby announces the introduction of identity cards, the expulsion of foreign nationals, the banning of communists and a delay in the general election.

With the Kahns now on the run, Carmichael goes to Wales to interview Thirke's mother, who recounts Angela's admission that she helped Lord Eversley and Mark Normanby murder her husband.

Undaunted, Carmichael presents his findings to Penn-Barkis, the head of Scotland Yard, and identifies the involvement of the three suspects in a conspiracy to murder Thirke and place the blame on the Jews for it.

Freida Murray's review for Booklist called "the characters are highly plausible, and in every aspect, from the petty snobbery hampering the inspector to the we-don't-do-that-here conclusion the plot encourages warily reconsidering the daily news.