Penny Nichols is a historical researcher and set-design consultant for Pentathlon Productions. Known as the "history lady" it's her duty to ignore the facts of history whenever they get in the way of modern fantasia - which is most of the time.

Penny, an American, is filming on location in the South of France when her parents phone with the news of her great-aunt Penelope's death, and to inform her she needs to fly to London for the reading of the will.

Penny inherits a flat in London and a garage full of items in France. It's her cousin Jeremy who inherits the home in France and her distant cousin, Rollo Jr., who inherits the furnishings in the French home. On more than one occassion Rollo Jr. tries to steal items from the French home and garage and the London flat - hoping to increase the value of his inheritance.

Jeremy and Penny fly from London to France to inspect their inheritance - having not been there before they don't know what awaits them. An expensive painting is found hidden in the car in the garage. Rollo Jr. comes out with the "secret" truth that Jeremy isn't even a blood relative of great-aunt Penelope. Again, hoping this truth will secure more of the inheritance for himself.

Penny, being the historian she is, begins researching her own family history. In so doing she learns of the secret histories and the lies surrounding her family. Penny and Jeremy travel across France, Italy and half of Europe on their quest to find truth and identity.