One Christmas, a foreign detective stays with an English family in their ancient manor house in the countryside. His hosts at Kings Lacey believe he is there to experience an old-fashioned English Christmas. In reality, he has been hired by a senior state official to prevent an international scandal and recover a stolen ruby. The detective enjoys Christmas with all its traditions and trappings — a decorated tree, filled stockings, stuffed turkeys — but is initially wary of the Christmas pudding. This large ball of a dessert looks impressive, “a piece of holly stuck in it like a triumphant flag and glorious flames of blue and red rising round it.” But the previous night, he found an anonymous note in his room containing a short, stark warning: “DON’T EAT NONE OF THE PLUM PUDDING. ONE AS WISHES YOU WELL.”