In the last days of the 19th century, Holmes is ready to say goodbye to his career as a detective. John Watson, his longtime friend and biographer, is grieving deeply over the death of his beloved wife, so he cannot dispel the lingering melancholy of the brilliant sleuth. If anything could awaken at least the faintest interest in Sherlock, it would be a crime unlike any other that has happened so far. And here it happens! Young Hilary De Mawnfort, a dashing gentleman and wealthy heir, is found murdered on a London street. And not just murdered—according to all appearances, some supernatural force has dealt with the favorite of fate. Holmes’s first impulse, since he doesn’t believe in mystical nonsense, is to refuse involvement in the investigation. But how then to deal with the bold challenge to his professionalism and his reputation?