Born in Shanghai in the early twentieth century, Christopher Banks is orphaned at the age of nine when his parents disappear one after the other. Now, more than twenty years later, he is a famous detective and the cases he solves always captivate London society. And yet, despite his experience and ability, he has not managed to shed light on the circumstances of his parents' alleged kidnappings. For this reason, Banks travels to the labyrinthine city of his childhood, hoping to solve the mystery of his painful past. However, there he discovers that war is mercilessly destroying Shanghai and realizes that he can no longer trust either his memories or the people around him.