Preston, 1741. The drowning of drunken publican Antony Egan is no surprise
even if it comes as unpleasant shock to coroner Titus Cragg, whose wife is the old man s niece. But he does his duty to the letter, and the inquest s verdict is accidental death.

But Cragg s close friend Luke Fidelis finds evidence to cast doubt on the events leading up to Egan s demise. Soon, suspicions are roused still further when a well-to-do farmer collapses and it appears he was in town on political business. Is there a conspiracy afoot? With the help of Fidelis s scientific ingenuity he sets about bringing the true criminals to light