The Affair at the Semiramis Hotel

Mr. Ricardo, a restless London socialite, finds his world of art, opera and high society suddenly flat after his recent escapades at Villa Rose. One morning his breakfast is interrupted by the flamboyant French detective Hanaud, who drops in unannounced, speaking of a vanished bullion shipment between Paris and London. Their conversation reveals a lingering boredom that only a fresh puzzle can cure, and Ricardo feels the old thrill of intrigue stir within him.

Before long, a second unexpected guest arrives – the impeccably dressed Mr. Calladine, a young man who vanished without a trace months ago. His sudden appearance, still in evening attire, raises more questions than answers, and Hanaud senses a connection between the missing aristocrat and the earlier bullion mystery. Together, Ricardo and the detective are drawn into a tangled web of secrets that leads them to the enigmatic Semiramis Hotel, where the first clues await.