No secret remains hidden forever. June 1545: When Michael Calfhill, a tutor for the Hobbey family, points out the screaming injustice that has befallen the two wards, Emma and Hugh, he is soon dismissed. Shortly after, he is found dead—hanged. Lawyer Matthew Shardlake and his assistant Jack Barak receive a personal commission from the Queen to investigate this case further. Their inquiries lead them to Portsmouth, where the English fleet is anchored at that time. Danger and fear hang in the air, as an invasion by the French is feared. When Shardlake meets the Hobbey family, he immediately senses that something is amiss. However, the more he tries to uncover the family's secret, the more precarious and life-threatening his position becomes. Then, during a hunt, the lady of the house is fatally struck by an arrow. An accident or a crime?.