Crooked House is narrated by Charles, a young man serving in England’s diplomatic service during World War II. Towards the end of the war, he falls in love with 22-year-old Sophia, a Foreign Office worker. Sophia is smart and charming but never speaks about herself, leading Charles to speculate on her “unusual background.” All she will divulge is that she lives with her large family at Swinly Dean, in “a little crooked house.” (3) The family is presided over by her beloved grandfather, the spectacularly wealthy Aristide. Charles and Sophia get engaged but agree to delay their marriage until the war is over.

Charles and Sophia stay in touch through letters before both returning to England several years later. They agree to meet for dinner, but as Charles reads the papers on the day of their reunion, he learns that Aristide has passed “suddenly” at the age of 85. There are two separate death notices, one from his “beloved” wife Brenda and one from his children and grandchildren.

At dinner, Sophia tells Charles that although the terms of their agreement are now fulfilled, she can’t marry him anymore. She suspects that her grandfather was murdered due to the strange circumstances of his death.