It is the first decade of the twentieth century and the British Empire in India is at its apogee.

As the Viceroy Lord Curzon hands over to his successor and preparations are made for a visit by the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Raj has never seemed mightier and more secure.

Yet beneath this glittering surface, in the bazaars and markets of the teeming population, independence is beginning to stir. When a policeman is shot during the royal visit it is up to Kim, still working as the Colonel's agent, to uncover the conspiracy.

With its vivid portrayal of city and countryside, The Imperial Agent takes us back to the marvellous world of Kipling's India - but a world changing swiftly. For Kim it is a harsher world, for now his two allegiances - to India and to the Colonel - are coming into conflict.