We find ourselves in the year 1703 in the idyllic town of San Gimignano in Tuscany. Here, Skulduggery's arch-nemesis Mevolent is currently hiding. Skulduggery, the Horrible Schneider, and the other Dead Men want to finally take their revenge on him, but then the Irish grand sorcerer Meritorius appears, instructing them to do the exact opposite: they must protect Mevolent from the assassin Strickent Abhor. Mevolent is the only wizard capable of closing the Porta dell' Inferno, a gateway to hell where a destructive deity lurks. Therefore, he must remain alive. But that's not all – they even have to try to work together with their enemies! What could possibly go wrong? Derek Landy's prequel to his cult series is filled with tension and humor. Rainer Strecker brings the reunion with many beloved characters to life with a rich variety of voices.