The Merula Library is shocked by alarming news: the American scientist Nickerson cut out and took away several dozen pages from the rarest tomes of the 16th century. Detective Brunetti finds out that in addition to Nickerson, the only person in the reading room was the priest Aldo Francini. This library regular, a man who literally lived by books, is the only one who can shed light on this dark story. Brunetti decides to talk to Francini. But the priest is found dead. And at an American university they claim that there is no Dr. Nickerson...