When a surprise letter arrives at Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young Ladies offering a cultural exchange to Beijing, Alice-Miranda and her friends are quick to sign up. They can't wait to experience the delights of one of the world's busiest cities! While there, the visitors will attend The Bright Star Academy and be billeted among the local students. Excitingly, Alice-Miranda and Jacinta are placed with a family who own one of the most famous acrobatic circus troupes in China. Their shows are spectacular but on closer inspection it appears that attempts are being made to sabotage the performances. Is it an insider, or is someone else trying to bring the family down? When Alice-Miranda stumbles upon a priceless missing antiquity in her host's home the mystery deepens. Will the saboteur be caught before it's too late?