Thraxas book eight. Turai is under threat and Thraxas is troubled by the city-wide food shortage. With no yams to go with his stew, life hardly seems worth living. Things become worse when the city is gripped by plague. Even the fearless Makri finds herself worried by the way people are falling ill all around. Soon you can't move in the Avenging Axe for casualties. Disregarding illness, and the threat of Orcish invasion, Thraxas is eager to participate in the biggest card game the tavern has ever seen, but he's short of money. The city needs saving and Thraxas needs cash, so there's no alternative for the large investigator but to get to work, solve some crime, and earn some gold.