Working with the great Mark Twain is a job Wentworth Cabot relishes — especially when it includes a first-class boat trip, a visit to Europe, and a steady paycheck. But Cabot hopes his third adventure with the renowned author won't involve any murders...

The genial company of Twain's friend Rudyard Kipling seems to guarantee smooth sailing. A German prince, a pretentious Italian art critic, and a rich young lout from Philadelphia are nuisances to Cabot — but for Twain they only figure as ready targets for his wit. Then the wealthy young man disappears. His father, a prominent prosecutor, insists he was murdered...and accuses the German prince. But Twain suspects otherwise — and with the help of Cabot and Kipling, must race against time to ensure justice...