London of the Restoration era. Here, skillful intrigues are woven at the royal court, His Majesty Charles II changes countless favorites and patronizes the arts, and diplomats from France and Spain wage a secret war among themselves. Vice and embezzlement rule here. Here human life is inexpensive, and murders are committed every day. But what the famous lawyer Sir Orlando Trelawney and his friend, the brilliant amateur detective Father Jeremiah Blackshaw, had to face, this time leaves even them in amazement. A mysterious criminal kills the famous London healer Margaret Laxton. Her daughter, beautiful Anne, having miraculously escaped an equally terrible fate, stubbornly refuses to answer questions about what happened. Why is she silent? Who is she covering for? And most importantly, what can connect her with the killer? Sir Orlando and Father Jeremiah begin searching for answers to these questions their own investigation - and this investigation leads them either to the dark quarters of London vagabonds, or to the brilliant mansions of the king’s mistresses and friends...