In the depths of the blackout, the silence of London's Royal Albert Dock is broken only by the lap of inky water against the quay and the occasional scurrying of rats' feet. A patrolling policeman is passing the newly arrived freighter SS Magnolia when something catches his eye. A man is sprawled awkwardly across a nearby barge - with an exotic-looking dagger in his back.
DI Jago of West Ham CID discovers the victim was a dock worker by day

'IT MURDERED ONE OF OUR GUESTS, AND NOW IT'S TRIED TO KILL MY HUSBAND.'

When the women of the WISE Enquiries Agency are approached by the frantic owner of a historic cottage in a picturesque Welsh seaside hamlet, they agree to help. After all – there can't be any such thing as a killer cottage, can there? And isn't a cursed cottage just as unlikely? They're about to find out – when Christine and Annie take up

Captain Harry Cathcart and Lady Rose Summer have entered into an engagement of convenience so Rose can avoid being sent to India with all the other failed debutantes. Her sharp intellect and radical ideas have served to repel her would-be suitors. Rose's parents are hardly thrilled that their only child is marrying a man in trade, but Harry comes from a good family, and at the very least, they hope he will keep their troublesome daughter out of

The truth can't stay buried forever...

Emer Doran's life was torn apart when her sister, Kitty, drowned. Her body was never recovered. Twenty years later, Emer sees a woman who is the image of Kitty. In that brief moment, Emer is convinced – her sister is alive.

Dee Doran jumps at the chance to get to know her long-lost cousin when Emer calls asking to meet. But it is not the happy family reunion Dee had expected.