In the sinister Wizard’s House near Edinburgh Castle, Inspector Faro is shown the body of a young woman. Her identity is a mystery until visiting friends in East Lothian, Faro learns that the guest of honour is to be Queen Victoria’s favourite goddaughter, Amelie, Grand Duchess of Luxoria. She fails to arrive. Her distraught personal maid brings a chilling tale of a carriage accident, hoping that the Duchess has survived and unaccompanied but safe is on her way to Balmoral Castle. Faro is not so confident as he realises with sinking heart that he might now have an identity for the murdered woman and is about to embark on the most scandalous investigation of his career.