Recruited by the American Communist Party to spy on fascists at the outbreak of WWII, Elizabeth Bentley - code name Clever Girl - finds she has an unexpected gift for espionage. After falling in love with her handler, Jacob Golos, Elizabeth is surprised to learn her lover is actually a Russian spy. Together, they will build the largest Soviet spy network in America and Elizabeth will become its uncrowned Red Spy Queen. However, once the war ends and the U.S. and U.S.S.R. become embroiled in the Cold War, Elizabeth clashes dangerously with the NKVD, the brutal Soviet espionage agency.