While most of London society has fled to their country estates for the holidays, Lady Emily and her family are enjoying a few days in town. On a shopping trip to Hamley’s, a stranger gives Emily’s son a Christmas cracker—but when he opens it to reveal a cryptic clue inside, Emily suspects there’s more to the gift than Christmas cheer. 

 

By the next day, her suspicions seem well-founded, as a Scottish stranger arrives with a heartbreaking tale and an urgent plea for help. He believes his daughter, whom he was told died at birth, may be hidden away somewhere in London. As Colin and Emily trace the clues through the city’s snowy streets, more mysterious crackers arrive to guide their investigation. But who is sending them? What do they mean? Emily and Colin must find the answers as they seek to reunite a family by Christmas Eve.