When the ravaged Abbey of Ramsey seeks help from the Benedictine brotherhood of Shrewsbury, a series of enigmatic and interesting characters invade the walls of the monastery and draw the attention of Brother Cadfel: a stern monk official, a novice monk filled with religious fervor, and a young singer.

A few days later, the reliquary of Saint Winifred, the patron saint of the Abbey, mysteriously disappears, and almost immediately the only person who could identify the perpetrator of the unholy theft is murdered. As the noose tightens, the characters of the story embark on a strange game with their fate, as supernatural signs and logical clues multiply - and Brother Cadfel takes action.

[Excerpt from the text on the back cover of the edition]