The autumn of 2016 at Buckingham Palace brings with it a season of uncertainty. The Queen faces challenges such as the aftermath of the Brexit referendum, a new prime minister, and a chaotic U.S. election. However, these concerns are eclipsed when a staff member is discovered dead by the palace swimming pool. Is it merely a tragic mishap as the authorities believe, or could there be more to the story?

In the midst of this, the Queen’s assistant private secretary, Rozie Oshodi, is hot on the trail of a cherished painting that once adorned the wall outside the Queen’s bedroom and now seems to have been wrongly claimed by the Royal Navy. At the same time, a string of strange anonymous letters begins to circulate within the palace walls. Though the Queen’s courtiers assure her they have the situation ‘under control’, Her Majesty harbors doubts.

Unbeknownst to the staff and public, Her Majesty is the most astute detective among them. Working together with her secretary, there’s no chance the case will go unsolved.