WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF CRIME. 1936. Torsten Somersby is a private investigator with a deep knowledge of the occult and a dubious reputation because of the strange cases his expertise attracts. When a handsome tobacco heir dies mysteriously, Torsten agrees to assist Nigel Clemmons, an out-of-town insurance investigator, in uncovering the truth behind the young man's fate. Torsten and Nigel discover the heir's troubled past and obsession with an ancient occult conspiracy. They must navigate a dangerous landscape to thwart the plans of those responsible.