An evil adversary has risen from the dead. A letter, written in a secret cipher, tells famed sleuth Sherlock Holmes that Abe Slaney, the vicious murderer he once captured after a duel of wits, has performed another dastardly deed-kidnapping the beautiful widow of a man he killed years earlier. Soon Holmes discovers that someone is attempting to frame him for the crime. The great detective sets off from London to Chicago where only with the assistance of the large-hearted and amply proportioned Irish saloonkeeper Shadwell Rafferty can Holmes hope to settle the score once and for all. Nonstop suspense, vivid historical atmosphere, and seamless storytelling make this a thrilling addition to Larry Millett's popular series.