The Head Vanishes

An avalanche blocks the railway, trapping Iris Henderson and the other travelers at a local hotel near the line. The group settles in for a tense night as rumors and unease spread among the passengers. The mounting tension foreshadows the conspiracy that will unfold aboard the carriage-inn.

That same evening, a street performance ends in tragedy as a folk singer is murdered by an unseen assailant. The crime sends a chill through the crowd and deepens distrust among the stranded travelers. Suspicion grows as everyone wonders who might be the killer and what it means for their safety.

Morning after the night, Miss Froy accidentally drops her glasses near Iris and the others. Iris tries to return them, but a planter from above knocks her unconscious, and Miss Froy helps her onto the train. Iris faints again, beginning the new, tangled journey aboard the carriage.

On waking, Iris finds herself in a compartment with Miss Froy and several strangers, including Charters, Caldicott, Gilbert, and Todhunter with his mistress. They move to the dining car for tea, where Miss Froy explains her tea ritual and offers calm reassurance. The sense that something is hidden begins to loom over the carriages.

Miss Froy disappears from the carriage and the crew deny ever seeing her. Todhunter pretends not to remember her to hide his liaison with his mistress. The mystery deepens as Iris and the others wonder what happened and who can be trusted.

Todhunter's mistress claims she saw Miss Froy, and a bizarre sequence with a bandaged patient and a nun raises questions about replacements. Iris starts doubting her own memory as the group laments the lack of clarity. Dr. Hartz's presence hints at a larger, dangerous plot.

Gilbert grows convinced Iris is not hallucinating after a tea-wrapping clue sticks briefly to a corridor window, revealing Miss Froy's presence. The two grow determined to find her, despite the passengers' evasions. The mystery tightens its grip on the journey.

They locate Miss Froy's glasses in the baggage car, but are attacked by Signor Doppo, a magician who had been in Iris's compartment. In the struggle, the glasses are knocked away and Doppo escapes. The danger heightens as the truth seems nearer yet more elusive.

Dr. Hartz discloses that the patient is indeed Miss Froy and that he is involved in a conspiracy—and that the group has been drugged. The false nun is revealed to be a British woman in disguise, whose motive remains loyally ambiguous. The realization that everyone could be compromised tightens Iris and Gilbert's resolve.

Gilbert and Iris escape the pursuers, free Miss Froy, and swap the impersonator back for the real agent. They manage to swap back, restoring Miss Froy's identity amid mounting danger. The passengers brace for a dangerous crossing.

As the train approaches the border, Hartz diverts part of the train onto a branch line where soldiers lie in wait. Gilbert and Iris alert the others and a tense gunfight erupts, leaving Charters wounded. Miss Froy reveals a coded message in a tune for the Foreign Office.

Todhunter is shot dead as the false nun attempts to escape and is dragged back aboard. Back in London, Charters and Caldicott learn the Test Match has been canceled due to flooding. Iris reunites with Gilbert, they head toward the Foreign Office, and Miss Froy's encoded tune will reach Whitehall, sealing the mission.