Architectural historian Roy Burnell faces a crisis of identity when he discovers that a decade of his personal memories has been stolen and commodified for public consumption. Operating from a recession-stricken Europe, Burnell attempts to preserve global architectural heritage while grappling with the violation of his own mind. The narrative follows his efforts to reclaim his past, specifically the details of his marriage, which have been transformed into a series of illicit e-mnemonicvision recordings. The story explores the intersection of cultural preservation and the erosion of individual privacy in a world defined by technological exploitation.

As the concluding installment of the Squire Quartet, this work is often viewed as a culmination of Brian W. Aldiss's late-career thematic interests in memory and cultural entropy. The narrative's blend of architectural observation and speculative psychological intrusion suggests a deliberate attempt to mirror the instability of the protagonist's world. Readers and critics typically highlight the author's sharp, cynical prose and his ability to weave high-concept science fiction elements into a grounded, character-driven framework. The book serves as a meditation on the fragility of the self when faced with the relentless encroachment of technology and historical erasure.