Lord Gospell is found murdered during a coming-out ball at the house of the well-known hostess Evelyn Carrados, and Alleyn has to find the killer. To the horror of Lady Carrados, it appears that the murderer may not have been on her guest list. Then Alleyn finds out that a blackmailer has been at work. Was Lord Gospell being blackmailed? And, if so, why was he killed, and by whom?