Bradecote is a minor landowner and newly appointed under-sheriff. His sergeant, Catchpoll, is a weather-beaten, wily and experienced thief taker whose philosophy is that to catch a villain you need to be a more effective villain than him. Bradecote though quite new to the job brings an effectively analytical eye to the investigation. September 1143. Serjeant Catchpoll hopes a fire at a Worcester silversmith's is just an accident, but when a charred corpse is discovered following a second fire, he has no choice but to call in the undersheriff, Hugh Bradecote, to help find the culprit. Bradecote may be new to the job compared to his weather-beaten, wily and experienced colleague, but his analytical eye is soon hard at work. With further fires, a hooded figure stalking the streets, and a possible murder that has gone undiscovered for some months, the duo must avoid getting more than their fingers burnt as they piece together the arsonist's vengeful motive.