Recently distracted by the arrival of her and Jamie's second son Magnus Isabel Dalhousie -
philanthropic editor of the Review of Applied Ethics - is anxious. The next issue of the Review
is far from ready her eldest Charlie is jealous and their housekeeper Grace has an
officious approach to childcare. With some relief Isabel returns to helping out at her niece
Cat's delicatessen where surely the most taxing duty is the preparation of sandwiches.It's not
long before Isabel's helpful philosophical nature draws her into customers' problems
specifically that of ambitious self-proclaimed matchmaker Bea Shandon. Bea has staged a
potentially dangerous liaison involving enigmatic plastic surgeon Tony MacUspaig who may not
be quite who he claims to be - and Isabel's help is required in getting to the truth of the
matter. Good-hearted Isabel proceeds with her usual thorough attention to task and on Bea's
advice talks to her friend Rob a trustworthy regular on Bea's dinner party circuit and known
to have deep suspicions about MacUspaig. It becomes clear however that Rob has an agenda of
his own and Isabel is now contending with that along with a mysterious medical condition of
Jamie's and some frustrating dead ends when it comes to Bea's predicament. When the truth
finally reveals itself Isabel must conclude that along with MacUspaig Bea Jamie - and even
Cat - she herself is not immune to misunderstandings or the neurotic fantasies that arise from
keeping secrets . . .
