The action of the novel takes place in 1898. Lykov's friend, the Latvian Jaan Titus, went to Riga for the funeral of his older brother Jāzeps. And he discovered that his brother was murdered. The police do not want to search for the perpetrators.
Jāzeps Titus was a thief and a dealer; he got what he deserved… When Jaan starts his own investigation, he is advised to leave the city. Upon learning of this, the indignant Lykov comes to Riga to help his friend.
And they begin to search for the murderers themselves. During the investigation, the friends uncover a spy network and encounter numerous thugs from Riga's suburbs.
In Riga, there is a German dominance, and Russian detectives have a hard time.
The ongoing gang war further complicates the search…