This narrative follows the Roman informer Marcus Didius Falco as he investigates the suspicious death of Leonidas, a state-employed executioner lion. Working alongside his new partner Anacrites, Falco conducts a lifestyle audit of the gladiator trainer Calliopus, uncovering a web of professional rivalry and personal vendettas. The mystery deepens as Falco discovers the involvement of a competing trainer, Saturninus, and a high-ranking official named Pomponius Urtica. Through investigative visits to training schools and interviews with fighters, Falco connects the lion's death to a botched private spectacle. The tension culminates in North Africa, where hidden motives involving adultery and family feuds are finally brought to light. Ultimately, the story explores the gritty intersection of Roman politics, the gladiator trade, and the personal risks of the informing profession.