Set in the period between the second Persian war and the Peloponnesian war, Nicolaos, son of Sophroniscos and brother of Socrates investigates the murder of Ephialtes, leader of the new Athenian democratic movement. Nicolaos is a young man (and Socrates a twelve year old boy) who shows some initiative and is hired by Pericles to investigate the murder. It turns out that investigating a political murder has a good many risks in the rough and tumble political world of Athens and Nicolaos finds himself in the middle of it.
Altogether an entertaining read, with more to come in the yet to be published sequel.