Michael Taylor's third Black Country novel about the Kite family of Dudley is set in the colourful world of dance bands in the 1920s. Maxine Kite - the talented musician of the family - is overjoyed to land a job as a cellist with Birmingham's orchestra. Brent Shackleton, an intriguing fellow musician, introduces Maxine to the world of dance music and soon she is the star of his swing band. She loves this new life - even though it's complicating her love life. First, Maxine discovers she is not the cold fish her old boyfriend Stephen always said she was. She falls in love with Howard Quaintance and she has never been so happy. But wild, unorthodox Brent Shackleton resents Howard and all he stands for. He decides to lure Maxine away from her staid boyfriend. He gets his chance when the band is offered a chance to go to America ...