The victim, Magdalena, was the mistress of the eccentric and paranoid Holy Roman Emperor, Rudolf II . Plot & Atmosphere

Instead of being arrested, Stern is recruited by Rudolf II—who believes Stern is a "star" sent by Christ—to solve the murder. Benjamin Black. The Wolves of Prague | Lagares Abogados

Christian Stern, a young, ambitious scholar and alchemist from Germany, arrives seeking his fortune.

On his first night, a drunken Stern stumbles upon the slashed body of a young woman in the Golden Lane .

The novel is set in , during the transition to a new century.