Early 20th century. The head of the St. Petersburg detective police, Vladimir Gavrilovich Filippov, was faced with a series of bloody murders. The cruel murderer kills wealthy gentlemen with their servants one after another, taking away money and securities. Soon a strong suspicion arises that the killer was on friendly terms with his victims. What motivates the criminal - selfish motive, revenge, manic passion or something else? Following the path of the insidious Judas, the detectives move from the palaces and brothels of the capital of Russia to the most provincial estates of the empire. And everywhere the bloody murderer leaves traces of atrocities, executed in the same handwriting. So who is he really? The further we go, the clearer one thing becomes - it will not only be difficult to track down the criminal, it will be even more difficult to arrest him.