Novel in association with BBC Studios7 episodesLatest Apr 6, 2026
When London boutique owner Bridget Hutchcroft befriends a glamorous client at her Knightsbridge dress agency, she believes she has met a Russian socialite with vast wealth and powerful connections. Ekaterina Barrett glides through luxury apartments, London’s finest hotels and European high society dinners with unwavering confidence. Chauffeurs wait outside. Extravagant goods pile up. Money, it seems, is no object. Until it vanishes. Bridget generously lends her wealthy new friend more than a million pounds, but it proves to be a disastrous mistake. When Ekaterina refuses to pay the money back, Bridget’s loyal circle of friends step in. Journalist Vicky Baker joins them in a frantic search for answers. It turns out Bridget is not the only one claiming to be severely out of pocket thanks to the broken promises of her mysterious former friend. What follows is an international investigation stretching from London to Vienna, the Netherlands and Monaco. Courtrooms, casinos and opera houses all reveal fragments of an increasingly bizarre story.
Episodes
Episode Six: House of CardsApr 6, 20262395In Monaco, Ekaterina’s lavish lifestyle appears to be unraveling. Vicky heads to Monte Carlo to confront her, while Bridget makes a final push to recover what she’s owed.Is the game finally up? Contains Strong LanguageSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Episode Five: The WindfallMar 30, 20262731The downfall of a European steel magnate may hold the key to Ekaterina’s mystery millions. Vicky travels to the Netherlands to unpick their tangled relationship. In London, Bridget seeks to prove that Ekaterina has been lying in court to cover her tracks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Episode Four: (Dis)order in CourtMar 23, 20262491Bridget’s case reaches London’s High Court, but Ekaterina’s bizarre witness box antics land her in deeper trouble. Meanwhile, Bridget’s best friend uncovers a bombshell document that could unravel the truth behind Ekaterina’s wealth.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Episode Three: The Vienna ConnectionMar 16, 20262570Vicky heads to Austria to investigate a hidden chapter in Ekaterina’s past and her connections to Viennese high society. A 95-year-old opera singer reveals that Ekaterina’s influence over her husband threatened to destroy their marriage.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Episode Two: High RollingMar 9, 20262224Bridget discovers her new acquaintance is notorious across London’s Mayfair, especially in its exclusive private casinos.But is Ekaterina’s fortune real, or make-believe? Bridget enlists a lawyer and private investigator as she fights to get her money back.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Episode One: Pandora’s BoxMar 2, 20262815Bridget strikes up an unusual relationship with a wealthy client at her dress shop. As Bridget is pulled more and more into Ekaterina’s world, her friends stage an urgent intervention. Journalist Vicky Baker explores the fallout which sparks an international hunt for answers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Introducing: FraudaciousFeb 23, 2026128A mysterious socialite accused of stealing millions sparks a wild international investigation stretching from London to Vienna, the Netherlands and Monaco. Journalist Vicky Baker searches for the truth about Ekaterina Barrett - a high flyer with a lavish lifestyle who, despite maintaining her innocence, is being pursued by a crowd of angry former friends and acquaintances who claim she’s def
