Murdoch finds himself with amnesia and running for his life on the streets of Bristol, England, very far from home, if he knew where his home was. Taking refuge in a pub, he gains the assistance of a vivacious barmaid who helps him reconstruct his memories, escape his pursuers, and foil an assassination plot.

Murdoch believes that the brutal murder of a waterfront merchant could be linked to the shocking assault on Inspector Brackenreid.