A rich young man shoots himself in a park after being rejected for a kiss by an unknown girl. Erast Fandorin is assigned to the case and is soon himself the victim of attempted murder by a man who said only one word: Azazel.
The investigation leads Erast Fandorin to a school for gifted orphans where he once again encounters the beautiful girl from the park whom he falls in love with. He also goes undercover to a poker night hosted by a decadent count.
Fandorin learns of a mysterious femme fatale whom the dead man was in love with and follows her to a German spa town where he finally encounters Azazel.
