August, 1914: Lieutenant Marcus Baxter has been sent from cold, grey London to the tropical climes of Zanzibar in East Africa on the pretence of carrying out a survey on the local naval station. In reality, the Royal Navy’s Intelligence Division have sent Baxter to find out if one of their ex-members, Mr Arbuthnott is now working for a potentially hostile foreign power and sharing British secrets. Baxter is under strict orders not to reveal his true mission to anyone in the small naval contingent he’s been sent to, which makes executing his orders complicated.
He leaves the British protectorate of Zanzibar and crosses the water to the German-occupied port of Dar Es-Salaam to try and subtly gain intelligence. But once he arrives, he is certain he is being followed.
Returning to Zanzibar, he discovers that the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand has been shot, escalating tensions between the British and German forces and making Baxter’s mission more urgent. Where is Arbuthnott? Is he betraying the British?
Can Baxter complete his mission before his shadowy stalker catches up with him…?