AD 72 Marcus Didius Falco, back from six months in Germany, finds his apartment wrecked by squatters and an ex-legionary friend of his brother Festus demanding money allegedly owed by him When the soldier is murdered Falco becomes the prime suspect his girlfriend Helena Justina is arrested as an accomplice, increasing her aristocratic family's bias against him Falco needs wealth to buy himself into a rank at which he can marry and, to clear his family name, he must find the father who deserted them all years ago He has three days to get everything done