In 1376, the Black Prince dies of a terrible sickness, closely followed the following year by his father, King Edward III. The crown of England is left in the hands of a mere boy, and the great nobles gather like hungry wolves round the empty throne. When a powerful merchant prince is murdered within a few days of the old king's death, London coroner John Cranston draws upon the expertise of Dominican monk Brother Athelstan, and in this series debut, they are soon caught in a terrifying web of intrigue.