July 1660, Falkland Palace, Fife. After rescuing King James the Sixth from a runaway horse, Tam Elidor finds himself in favour. As the King's new object of affection Tam has become the target for jealous courtiers - and their attentions are seriously hampering his investigation into the murder of Margaret Agnew. Why was the Queen's midwife killed - was it a case of mistaken identity, is it related to secrets from James's past and could Tam's good friend Tansy be at risk? Dangerous forces are at work, forces that will lead the King to Gowrie House and to a mystery that remains unsolved today...