The year is 1904. The location is the North Sea. The bombardment of a trawler fleet from Hull by Russian warships, killing a good number of fishermen, draws Britain and Russia close to war. Doctor Ingo Finch has long since left adventuring behind but he is asked by a stranger to look into an incident called the 'Dogger Bank Incident' and a conspiracy behind it. This will get him involved in the world of espionage and dealing with agents from both Whitehall and St. Petersburg.