This is an interesting book about medieval London and events surrounding a mysterious and dangerous book which is rumoured to have predicted the deaths of 12 previous English Kings and seems to predict the death of the current King Richard the 2nd. Poet John Gower searches for the book, meanwhile tracking the traces of a vicious murderer who has already killed several women (prostitutes) in search of the same book.

John Gower's friend (to-be-famous in the future) poet Geoffrey Chaucer seems to be involved, so John Gower tries to get hints from his poet friend about what the purpose of the book might be. There is a chance that the book may have been forged by the enemies of King Richard, in the hope to trigger an uprising.

The book contains many details about the era, including the life in London with its three distinct areas, the strict controls over who can live where and the powerful bureaucracy. But essentially it is a detective story. At times difficult to follow, the book provides an exciting narrative if you can adapt and feel like an inhabitant of the 13th Century.