Gabriel Redbrick mourns the loss of his companion, Dr Albert Callico, who died in a minibus accident on his way to a medical conference.

Following a meeting with Albert's solicitor, Gabriel discovers he has inherited a derelict property in rural Italy. He also stumbles upon a secret message left to him by Albert moments before he died.

The message leads Gabriel to the Italian site where he meets the moody groundsman, Lorenzo. The clue, which eventually unravels Albert’s discovery, also puts Gabriel's life in danger.

But with a group of new allies, he finally has the chance to solve the mystery of his lost childhood.