The Night Manager is set in Hong Kong during the 1970's, Gordon Harper is the twenty five year old night manager of the Mayflower Hotel, Hong Kong's leading hotel. Amongst his school friends were the daughter of Hong Kong’s Governor; the youngest son of the founder of the Sun Yee On triad society; and the eldest daughter of a shipping magnate, knighted by the Queen, who built up the largest fleet in the world with over 202 vessels (larger than the combined fleets of the famous Onassis, Niarchos and Lemos families).
The five short stories detail some of his night shifts which included the strange death of a Japanese businessman; robbery of a hotel guest; the macabre slaying of a bargirl from Wanchai and his involvement with the triads.