An assassination attempt in the limelight. A missing magician. A case for Sherlock Holmes. When Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson go to the Circus Busch in Berlin, they are looking forward to a spectacular performance by the famous escape artist Harry Houdini. But while watching the show, Holmes already senses that something is not right. Shortly afterwards it becomes clear that Houdini was the victim of an acid attack – carried out with such daring and precision that the audience didn’t notice a thing. The magician has his suspicions, but the alleged perpetrators have long since gone to the ground. Houdini thinks he knows who is responsible for the attack and refuses to involve the authorities. Only at the request of his wife Bess does Holmes begin his own investigation – and immerses himself in the colourful and shady world of Berlin’s variety shows and bohemian establishments. But just as the clues become conclusive, Houdini disappears without a trace – and the case takes an unexpected turn.