It's Sunday morning, 4th August 1577 in Bungay, a small town in north Suffolk. During a violent thunderstorm the church is struck by lightning and two parishioners are killed and another is severely injured. Soon afterwards a pamphlet is published claiming that the deaths and injuries were caused by a ghostly black dog, which ran up and down the aisle, savaging the worshippers. The Bishop of Norwich sends Captain Richard Brightwell to investigate, accompanied by John Kettle, his scrivener (author of the Chronicles); Humfry Trip, the captain's resourceful but maverick manservant; and Augustyn Flowerdew, a seven foot tall mute bodyguard. Whilst in the town they meet an interesting cross-section of Bungay society, including the divine Misses Kindred and Poope, take part in a post-medieval football match and some early street theatre, and encounter mayhem, mystery and murder in about equal measure.