A well-known archaeologist is found murdered in his apartment. On his work desk, a mysterious message has been carved into the surface with a knife. In what language is it written? What does it mean? Who is it addressed to?
The novel carries the reader from Moscow to Madrid, from Madrid to Toledo, and back to Moscow.
The archaeologist’s death turns out, in an incomprehensible way, to be connected to events that happened many centuries ago.
Only one person can decipher the mysterious inscription and track down the killers: Gleb Stoltsyev, a brilliant expert in history and ancient languages.