Sane and loved, Erasmus Boone is a unicorn among necromancers. Others aren't nearly so fortunate.

Necromancers need help, and since no one else is applying for the job, Erasmus feels it's his responsibility. The hurdles are many, not the least of which is locating off-the-grid necromancers. When the Warlock Council stubbornly refuses even the barest of aid, Erasmus makes a call he fears he'll regret. Help doesn't come free, and Erasmus wonders if he'll be able to pay the price when the bill finally comes due.

Detective Franklin O'Hare is a human hopelessly in love and helplessly out of his depth when it comes to keeping Erasmus alive. Erasmus's need to locate and aid other necromancers is an emotional ticking time bomb. Add this newest quest to Erasmus's penchant for digging up dead and buried secrets, and Franklin is left wondering how he can ensure Erasmus not only lives his best life but remains alive at all.

Erasmus's quest is derailed when a simple soul retrieval turns out to be anything but. Erasmus has retrieved numerous souls over the years, but he's never had a case where the soul attached to the remains didn't match the name written on their grave marker. Something stinks, and it's not the burnt remains Erasmus is working with.

Avarice is rarely satisfied and is the root of far too many evils to count. Erasmus and Franklin know that fact all too well. Avarice hides behind murder, but it can also shadow covetous intentions. While one form of avarice strives to end Erasmus's life, another desires to enslave it. One form is far more dangerous than the other, and it's not the version attempting to kill Erasmus Boone.