When the Malay Black bear vanishes from its cage in the zoo garden of Vientiane's Lan Xang Hotel very few people are surprised to see mauled bodies turning up in the morgue.

Siri is sent to the historic capital to solve two mysteries: what killed a man found on a crumpled bicycle, and what caused the deaths of two bodies charred beyond recognition and missing their feet?

He enlists the help of the royal shaman and finally learns the true intentions of the phibob and of his own distinguished dynasty.

Before he can return to his work he has to survive the phibob attempt on his life, unmask the betrayer of the king and argue his own defense against charges of treachery.

She has her first unpleasant encounter with a Russian circus trainer, gets access to secret Party files, and soon becomes the only person in Laos arguing against the death warrant on the old Malay bear.