Ever since leaving the Emperor's police force, Ming has led a dull life. He spends his days tutoring young scholars in the Confucian texts, raising his children and tending to his dying wife. But when a strange and unprecedented series of murders rocks the Tang Dynasty's capital, Ming is called upon to rejoin the Gold Bird Guard and put a stop to the terror.The first child's body was found early one morning in a muddy city street. In his left hand, the boy was clutching a letter accusing his parents of a terrible crime. In his right hand was a small wooden carving of Leigong, the god of thunder. Over the following weeks more children have been discovered, each holding a letter in one hand, a statue of Leigong in the other.Ming is no stranger to crime, but this time he isn't tracking a bandit or a thief. To find his killer, Ming must navigate the dizzying world of Chinese bureaucracy and intrigue. He must also learn about Leigong, a fearsome god that wields nature to punish those who harbor secret crimes. As Ming plunges deeper into this mystery, he discovers he must go one step further. He will have to look into his own past, and confront the sins he has spent years trying to forget.