When Detectives Brock and Kolla are called to a shop dealing in rare stamps they assume they'll be handling a simple case of theft. But it is a far different story. A man from Brock's past, East End Chinese ex-villain Sammy Starling, is in deep trouble and has asked for Brock's help. Starling's pretty young wife, Eva, has been kidnapped, and the ransom notes are decorated with rare and valuable Chalon Head stamps of the young Queen Victoria - who happens to look remarkably like Eva.
Sammy is convinced that a corrupt police officer he helped put away is behind the kidnapping. But why should Brock and Kolla believe anything he says... ?