When the Dresden Text - a treasured fragment of medieval illuminated manuscript - is stolen from a prestigious New York gallery, its loss hits Tim Lacy hard. His firm was responsible for the safety of the exhibits but even more devastatingly, a colleague was killed during the break-in.
Within days the police, acting on an anonymous tip-off, have traced the armed robber. There is a shoot-out and the criminal is killed. But the suspiciously swift wrapping-up of the case leaves too many questions unanswered for Tim Lacy. Why was the Dresden Text stolen when other rarer, more valuable exhibits were on display nearby? Why have the police been ordered to close the file? And where is the Dresden Text now?
Convinced that only the answers to these questions will lead to those responsible for his colleague's murder, Tim sets out to unravel a dark and complex mystery...