Shortly before his unexpected coronation, King Richard passed a law letting all of England's prisoners go free. Shortly afterwards, a young nun is found gruesomely murdered. Richard swiftly employs an old military colleague of his, Josse d'Acquin, to unravel this hideous mystery. Josse goes to Hawkenlye Abbey to find out the answers to these questions, and together with Abbess Helewise, they must find the murderer quickly, or they'll have the King of England to answer to.