It is 1943， and a wartime visit from Madame Chiang Kai-Shek has thrown the White House into a frenzy of preparation. Eleanor Roosevelt accommodates Madame s entourage， serves the finest meals rationing allows， and accompanies the smooth-tongued General s wife from social functions to sessions of Congress. The terror in Europe shows no sign of abating， and the United States cannot commit to focusing solely on Asia， despite Madame s wishes. The First Lady must walk a fine line between defending the country s interests and offending her guest. When a shoe salesman is found dead in the Map Room， however， his throat slit from ear to ear， her diplomatic resolve begins to crumble. What was a shoe salesman doing in the White House， mere feet from Madame Chiang Kai-Shek s bedroom? And who on earth killed him? As Eleanor and the Secret Service are drawn deeper and deeper into the mystery， the questions multiply. The shoe companies have no records of Chinese salesmen， and there is a high level of opium in the victim s blood. Madame Chiang Kai-Shek s staff is involved in some way， but how? And who is the beautiful Asian woman in the photograph in the victim s pocket?