Gemma Jones

At the turn of the twentieth century, Louisa Leyton secures the position of cook under Monsieur Alex, a leading chef, in a fashionable house.

Louisa's success as a cook has brought her the notice of the Prince of Wales and of society. Louisa is approached from all quarters by potential suitors.

One evening a young lady arrives and asks for Lord Haslemere. There is some mystery and Louisa tries to unravel it and discovers why she wants to stay at the Bentinck.

Louisa has thrown her husband, Augustus, and his overbearing sister out of the Bentinck and is determined to settle the hotel's enormous debts without help from anyone.

The Bentinck's hall porter and his dog Fred have become valued members of Louisa's staff and the fact that is little known about Starr's past doesn't seem to trouble anyone. Then one day he receives a visitor.

Charlie Haslemere decides that it is time he married and settled down. Louisa approves of his choice, but an old flame of Charlie's feels that she has a prior claim.

The summer of 1904 sees the Bentinck full of visitors. Louisa is delighted with her first rich American guest. She is less delighted when she finds that the three parties are becoming involved with each other in a way that borders on the criminal.

Charlie Tyrrell has become disillusioned with his new lifestyle as Lord Haslemere and is beginning to feel sorry for himself. However, a guest at the Bentinck brings Charlie to his senses with a horrifying revelation.

Shortly after moving into their newly finished dream house, Alice's partner, Harry, dies from falling down the stairs. Harry designed the house himself, so it's weird, wonderful, and impractical, and one more disorientation for Alice to endure along with her sense of loss and abandonment. Her beloved partner of twenty years is gone, and now she can't even find the fridge. To add to her problems, Alice discovers that Harry had a habit of hiding stuff...

Scotland Yard Commander Adam Dalgliesh retreats to an isolated town for some rest, but his isolation is shattered when he discovers he cannot escape murder.