Queen Marie of Roumania granddaughter to both Victoria Empress of the British Empire and
Alexander II Tsar of Russia is in need of Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes services. The
queen a famous beauty who has single-handedly transformed Roumania from a backwater into a
force to be reckoned with invites the pair to Bran castle. The ancient fortress sits on the
border with the newly-regained territory of Transylvania and was a gift to Queen Marie from
her people.The threat the queen fears is somewhat dubious: shadowy figures vague whispers
dangers that may only be accidents. But a young girl is involved. So putting aside their
doubts Russell and Holmes set out to investigate the mystery in a land of long memory and
hidden corners a land that had known Vlad the ImpalerA land from whose churchyards the shades
creep.
