Rio de Janeiro 1886. In a notorious neighborhood of the port, the police find the mutilated body of a young prostitute. At the same time, a great commotion ensues at the palace. A precious Stradivarius, a gift from Emperor Pedro to his beautiful mistress, has vanished. The palace is in turmoil.

The emperor decides to seek the help of the famous English detective Sherlock Holmes. However, when Holmes arrives in Rio, the case has taken monstrous proportions. The bodies of young women are multiplying, and the psychopathic killer leaves, instead of a signature, a violin string.

The tropical sun of Rio, the love that permeates the fragrant atmosphere of the city, the unmatched acting talent of Sara, the magnificent receptions at the palace and in enchanting mansions, make Holmes lose for the first time in his career his "inductive" abilities and succumb to the intoxication and wild rhythms of Brazilian samba.

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