Libellous pamphlets against the king are being distributed around town. When Dåådh is going to interrogate the person who printed them the man is found murdered his skull crushed in his own printing press. Dåådh's investigation brings him in contact with a beautiful and radical young French woman and after a few more gruesome murders are committed Dåådh realises that the old adage holds true hell hath no greater fury than a woman scorned. This is just as true of Märta Raxelius who is convinced that Dåådh killed her brother and will stop at nothing to get her revenge.