A Cotswold industrialist vanishing off the face of the earth, a heat-affected widow on her first vacation, a female archaeologist encountering a secret Brotherhood.

Cairo, June 1896

Lady Catherine Lowther is simply irresistible. But when Catherine announces her cousin Imogene must vacation with her at the famous Shepheard's Hotel in Cairo, Imogene fights the ludicrous proposal with tooth and nail.

Finally, back in her own house in Landdulton and still mourning Thaddeus, her constable husband, all Imogene wants is to be left alone. But does she really?

Cairo is hot, hoity-toity, and hazardous. As Imogene soon finds out. Jam-packed with British officers, aristocrats, and self-made millionaires. The last persons she expects to run into are Mr Ralph Herriot, the opulent Dartmond industrialist, and his self-important wife, Winnifred.

Until Ralph Herriot mysteriously disappears at the Pyramids of Giza and a hysterical Winnifred begs Mrs Lynch to find her husband for her.

What history do Catherine and Mr Herriot share? And does Imogene want to know? And how is it possible that a second Mr Herriot seems to be at the Dartmond factory, as usual?

Far away from home and without her constable husband to assist her, Mrs Imogene Lynch must tap into all her detective knowledge and skills to solve the peculiar vanishing act of Mr Ralph Herriot.