The fifteenth novel in the bestselling Marcus Didius Falco series is a tale of corruption, informers and the Roman courts of law.

Following his trip to Londinium, Falco takes up employment with Paccius Africanus and Silius Italicus, two lawyers at the top of their trade. For the trial of a senator they need Falco to make an affidavit confirming repayment of a loan. Having been out of the country, and starved of Forum gossip for some time, Falco has little interest in this, so he makes his deposition and then leaves.

The prosecution is successful and a large financial judgment is made, but one month later the senator is dead, apparently by suicide. The heirs are now in a situation of not having to pay up. Silius Italicus decides to start a new prosecution and, with a little coercion, Falco joins the action. Blinded by the vision of rich pickings to be gained by a winning verdict, Falco temporarily forgets that, if they fail, the financial penalties leveled against the informers who brought the case are potentially enormous.