The young Inspector Faro stumbles on a plot involving the stealing of a priceless jewel. His investigation leads him to Kent, and on the trail of his nemesis Macheath.

It is 1942, and the Second World War has been going on for three wearying years. Although outside the bombing area of German planes, the quiet countryside of County Down is far from peaceful. The textile mills around Banbridge are running on 24 hour shifts and Alex Hamilton is struggling to keep over-worked machinery going with no prospect of getting replacements and pressure rising all the time for fabric, uniforms, and woven equipment, all so desperately...