Set in July 1956, the novel follows Stevens as he takes a six-day motoring trip through the West Country of England. His primary goal is to visit Miss Kenton, the former housekeeper of Darlington Hall, whom he hopes to persuade to return to service.
During his journey, Stevens reflects on his decades of service at Darlington Hall during the 1920s and 1930s. These memories reveal Stevens’ unwavering commitment to his duties which led him to suppress his own emotions, including his love for Miss Kenton and his reaction to his father’s death. He also understands that his total devotion to his employer, Lord Darlington, blinded him to the fact that Darlington was a Nazi sympathizer and an agent of appeasement in the lead-up to World War II.
