The action of the cycle takes place in the world created by Isaac Asimov in his cycle “Detective Elijah Bailey and the Robot Daniel Olivo” after the events of the last novel of the series “Robots and Empire”. The brutal murder of Ruler Greg brings the planet Inferno to the brink of internecine war. The already tense relations between the colonists who settled this land thousands of years ago and the newly arrived envoys threaten to escalate into outright massacre. Sheriff Alvar Crash is doing everything to find the criminal and prevent the massacre, but the matter seems hopeless. So far, the investigation has only: a hole from a blaster in the Ruler’s chest, fifty mangled security robots, a dozen suspects who seem to have a “motive,” and no real leads.