York, 1371. William of Wykeham brings home the remains of Sir Ranulf Pagnell, a local magnate who died in France, but the dead man's family blames the bishop for his fate. Hostility intensifies after an apparent accident nearly kills Wykeham in the Minster precinct and his York residence is then consumed by fire.
The body of a young midwife is found beneath the burned house, leaving Owen Archer to determine whether the blaze was intended to kill her or conceal an earlier murder. Because the woman was known to many of York's households, including Lucie's, the investigation reaches into private matters that powerful families would prefer to keep from both church and civic authorities.