The Athenian Murders

In ancient Athens, one of the pupils of Plato's Academy is found dead. His idealistic teacher Diagoras is convinced the pupil's death is not as accidental as it appears, and asks the famous Heracles Pontor, the "Decipherer of Enigmas," to investigate. As the death toll rises, the two men find themselves drawn into the dangerous underworld of the Athenian aristocracy, risking their own lives to solve the riddle of these young men's deaths.

Meanwhile, a modern-day translator of an ancient text becomes convinced that the original author has hidden a second meaning in the text, which can be interpreted through repeated words and images. As the narrative progresses, the translator discovers references to himself that seem to address him personally in an increasingly menacing manner.