Private investigator Cormoran Strike is deeply troubled: a disturbed young man seeks his help in solving a crime that he believes he witnessed as a child. Billy clearly has psychological issues and can remember very little in detail, but he and his words sound credible. However, before Strike can question him in depth, the man panics and flees. To uncover the truth behind Billy's story, Strike and Robin Ellacott - once his assistant, now his business partner - follow a twisted trail that leads them through the shady corners of London to a secret exclusive circle within Parliament and a magnificent yet dark manor in the countryside. At the same time, Strike's own life is anything but straightforward: he has achieved fame as an investigator and can...