Set in the twilight years of the Czechoslovak communist regime and recalled from the suburbs of Washington. Roger Scruton evokes a world in which every word and gesture bears a double meaning, as people seek to find truth amid the lies and love in the midst of betrayal.

Notes From Underground tells the story of Jan Reichl, condemned to a menial life by his father's alleged crime, and of Betka, the girl who offers him education, opportunity, and love, but mysteriously refuses to commit herself. Their doomed love affair within the system that traps them comes alive on the pages, creating a beautifully tense look into life under communist regimes and the effects it has on the people living within them.