Mystery-solvingcriminallawyerCrangreturnstoinvestigatethedisappearanceoftworarebooks.FletcherMarshallisaTorontoantiquarianbookdealer,internationallyrespectedinthebusiness.Onenight,someoneblowsthesafeinhisofficeandmakesoffwiththecontents,whichincludeaninfamousforgedfirsteditionofElizabethBarrettBrowning’sSonnetsfromthePortuguesethatisinitselfacollector’sitem.Fletcher,whowasstillintheprocessofverifyingthebook,doesn’tevenknowwhetheritwastherealthingoracleverforgery(ofaforgery).Butratherthansummonthecopstoinvestigatethetheft,heturnstohispalCrang,thenervycriminallawyer,hopinghecanretrievethebooksbeforetheirownergetswindofthecrime.TheownerhappenstobetherichestwomaninCanadaandatoughcookiewhocouldruinFletcher’scareer.Cranggetsonthehunt,learningmuchaboutthetradeinmustybooksandthelucrativebusinessitmakesforforgers.Justasheseemstobegettingclosetoanswers,ashockingdevelopmentmakesthingsmuchmorecomplicated--andmuchmoredangerous.
