The French Territory of Hanoi, 1932.
Soon after Lucette and Philippe Delon’s arrival in Vietnam, Lucette is shaken when she has a minor car accident. The other driver, Gaston Laroche, gives her assistance, and this brings him into her life and Philippe’s, and also into the lives of their neighbours, Marc and Simonne Bouvier.
The two couples rapidly become friends, with ties made stronger by the fact that Philippe is aide to Marc, a senior official in the French colonial administration. They all welcome Gaston, a charismatic and charming man, into their group.
Unknown to Philippe, Marc is hiding a dangerous secret. Unknown to Marc, Gaston is aware of that. And he’s determined to expose the truth.
But even the best laid plans can go astray, and where there are women involved, they’re even more likely to do so.