A strange commotion takes over provincial Tatyayr: Alessandro Topazo arrives in the city—world-famous as a fortuneteller and a master of illusions. His evening at the local theatre sells out, and at the governor’s reception he leaves the audience stunned with a creepy performance—like he pulls a “living heart” out of a stuffed bird that was sitting on a mantelpiece.
In the morning, Tatyayr is hit by a sensation—Topazo is found dead. The investigation is entrusted to the head of the detective service, Fon Shpinnen.