In the future of an alternate world, the City of Polyxenburgh is a jewel in the Imperial States of Vespasia. But when a prominent businessman is murdered one night, the lives of its many citizens are altered, leaving the fate of Polyxenburgh and the Imperium precariously hanging in the balance. Twenty-three-year-old Leigh Palkenberg, an assistant bridge operator and part-time writer, may have been one of the last ones to see the murder victim alive. Following a failed bridge inspection just hours after the murder, Leigh suddenly loses his job. Advised to present himself to God and Man in a Triune Catholic church, Leigh soon makes many connectionsone of whom offers him a job at his private investigation firm. Propelled down a dangerous path, Leigh finds himself involved in a murder mystery and potential conspiracy; his long-time friend, Vince Deinhof, follows the same path simply by knowing those affected by the deaths. Forced to face the terrible secrets of the world around them and search for the truth, Leigh, Vince, and the citizens of Polyxenburgh must make difficult choices that reveal secrets and transform some into villains and others into heroes. In this new world, they must confront their present lives, future aspirations, secret histories, and far-reaching conspiracies in order to achieve true enlightenment.