The daughter of an Australian archaeologist and a Swiss artist, 12 year old HP is a self-styled global citizen. She accompanies her parents to museums and art exhibitions around the world, but has an uncanny ability to find trouble, whatever country she is in. While staying in Switzerland, she visits a second hand shop with her friends, Angelo and Gina. She buys an old vase and is plunged into the dangerous world of antiquities smuggling. The children join forces with an international organization of geriatric crime fighters and a group of Tae Kwan Do aficionados, to expose the smugglers. However, the people HP is pitted against, are skilled in the art of deception, and have no scruples about destroying her family. She will need to employ wisdom, imagination and a few good stories to match her adversaries and save the lives of the people she loves.