Huddersfield, in the West Riding of Yorkshire,1909. Matthew, the son of wealthy parents, has been kidnapped. A note is delivered, instructing them not to call the police. Matthew's parents, Julia and Horace, decide to enlist the help of Julia's sister, Amelia, and her friend Ethel, who had previously investigated the disappearance of Ethel's sister. They are aided by Fred, a police constable, who is in love with Ethel. There are many possible motives for the kidnapping. And, in addition, a mysterious man has been observed watching the house. Will Matthew be found? Who took him, and why? This is the second book in the Ethel and Amelia Mystery Series.