Dido Twite is waylaid by her father the shady Abednego Twite acting on instructions from his evil patron. Why is Dido so urgently needed in Wapping? Why are King Richards friends all accidentally drowning in the Thames? How does hard-drinking Mrs Lily Bloodvessel figure in this intricate plot with her cellar full of sleeping guttersnipes? Another rollercoasting story by Joan Aiken in which Didos scheming Pa finally receives his comeuppance.