Jean-Baptiste Poulain comes to Auvergne in central France to investigate the deaths of two young women. Both were killed one year apart in the same barbaric, ritual way, their bodies left near the Black Virgin Chapel ...and the day approaches when another victim could turn up. Unfortunately, he's going to have to struggle against the locals' superstitions, the hostility of the authorities, and the hatred all seem to direct at the neighbouring gypsies.