On the surface, the Stockholm archipelago in summer seems a serene and beautiful place. But as naive young British diplomat, Matt Simmonds, discovers, some alarming surprises can lurk just below that surface. At a time of increasing tension in the Baltic, Matt’s curiosity leads him into a complex web of conspiracies. He soon finds himself being played by conspirators in Moscow, Washington, Stockholm and even little Latvia. Matt tries to find out the truth behind reports of a mysterious and undetectable Russian submarine in the waters just outside Stockholm. If the reports are true, the revelations could spark conflict across the Baltic region. But as Matt discovers, there might be more than one undeclared submarine in those waters, and it seems that their various owners have very different agendas. 

Not only does Matt have to find the truth about the submarine threats, he also has other challenges. He has to help his Ambassador save the British Embassy from threat of closure, compete with the devious French for an arms contract, and deal with increasingly strange demands from London. But most importantly for Matt, he wants to win the spirited Annika, while fending off the advances of the voluptuous Marcella. Who says diplomatic life is boring?