On Halloween 1793 a teenaged prostitute is found murdered, her body horribly mutilated. A new type of killer is stalking the muddy streets of Leeds and the authorities are baffled. Worried about the loss of trade, the town corporation hires John Eagle to investigate. But other murders soon follow, each preceded by a cryptic note. The killer is clever and resourceful, challenging John to find him and break the chain of deaths. A battle of wits ensues in which the stakes for the young attorney have never been higher.
