1983. London, but not at all the London that many people know and remember. Susan Arkshaw, with only an old reading room ticket, a silver cigarette case with a half-erased coat of arms and a piece of paper with her father's name (most likely spelled incorrectly), goes to London in search of her parent.

Here she is meets Merlin and his sister Vivien, representatives of a large family of left-handed (warriors) and right-handed (intellectual) booksellers who use magic to protect the New World from the invasions of the mythical Ancient World. Left-handed Merlin and right-handed Vivien become actively involved in the search for Susan's father, believing that his disappearance is strangely connected with the murder of their mother.

Who or what was Susan's father? This must be clarified as soon as possible, since the Ancient World begins a dangerous invasion of the New...