When a man is found dead at the Bodleian Library, Lewis investigates a link between the death and an intruder on a local professor's property.

Lewis and Hathaway investigate a link between the murder of a professor of German history and the recent winner of a local underground boxing bout.

When an old friend of Hathaway's commits suicide, Lewis investigates a link between his death and a religious group whose members are being targeted by a killer.

A rape case appears to be solved when the chief suspect is murdered. But nothing is what it seems - and soon the upper echelons of Oxford society close ranks.