What should have been a refuge soon became a nightmare...
Still mourning for her young husband, widowed Anne Wicklow arrived in Venice during the carnival preceding Lent to assume the duties of housekeeper at the palace of ailing Mrs. Elvira Huddle.
Under Anne's gentle ministrations Mrs. Huddle seemed to be recovering—until a sudden, unaccountable turn for the worse took the old lady's life. Convinced that her employer was murdered, Anne soon had reason to believe that she herself would be next, that danger lurked beneath the fragile facade of carnival gaiety.
All the evidence pointed to mysterious, brooding Michael Sanson, as murderer. Despite this, Anne found herself falling in love with him. But why would he want to kill old Mrs. Huddle? Why would he want to do violence to Anne?
What strange secrets were hidden within the great stone walls of the eerie Venetian palace?