An arrest in the shadow of Notre Dame Cathedral yields the hint of a growing menace. For Chief Inspector Paul Malet, acting Prefect of Police for Paris, the triumph of the arrest is overlaid by a sense of gathering danger. All becomes clear when Malet learns that Victoria, England's Heiress Apparent, will be traveling to Paris at Christmas for a state visit. Her assassination on French soil would shatter the accord between France and England, and Malet knows all too well how profitable war can be for those daring enough to mold events to suit their own aims. The safety of all Malet loves is at stake. He embarks on a hunt, determined to fight this battle on ground of his own choosing, but an intention is not necessarily a 'fait accompli.' Malet's foes are formidable, and he finds danger at every turn. As if that is not enough to keep him busy, Malet has also succeeded in angering a street urchin quite determined to have his revenge or, at least, to ruin his hat. And now, as the hunt gains momentum, Malet has fallen in love, a distraction too dangerous to indulge and too delicious to ignore. It is going to be a busy season...