<p>Some eight months after the events of <i>Penric and the Shaman</i> Learned Penric sorcerer and scholar travels to Easthome the capital of the Weald. There he again meets his friends Shaman Inglis and Locator Oswyl. When the body of a sorceress is found in the woods Oswyl draws him into another investigation and they must all work together to uncover a mystery mixing magic murder and the strange realities of Temple demons.</p>