Philip Garve, a journalist on secondment in Jerusalem for a British newspaper, is more than familiar with the perils of the ancient city and the skirmishes between its people, so when he discovers a secret weapons stash by a roadside he begins to sense that an Arab uprising may be imminent. Complicating matters further are the charming Esther Willoughby, daughter of a famous author residing in the city, who has captivated Garve with her charms, and the cool and collected Anthony Hayson, an archaeologist working in the city's underground tunnels, who also has his sights set on Esther.
As his journalist's instinct to chase a good story becomes hopelessly entangled with more personal reasons for keeping himself - and Esther - out of danger, Garve finds his own safety compromised in the secret tunnels on more than one occasion. And, as tensions mount and the pieces of the political puzzle come together, Garve begins to realise that his enemies may be a lot closer to...