Paris, 1895. Alfred Dreyfus, a young Jewish officer, has just been sentenced to life imprisonment on Devil's Island, accused of treason, and has suffered public humiliation in front of twenty thousand people, with the stripping of his military rank. Among the attendees is Georges Picard, the ambitious and intellectual officer, recently appointed head of the intelligence service, through which he had "proved" that Dreyfus was a German informant.
Initially, Picard is convinced of Dreyfus' guilt. However, by chance, he discovers some evidence that raises suspicions that there is a spy in the French army, operating freely.
As the evidence accumulates, exposing high-ranking figures in the military-political hierarchy, Picard reaches the point of questioning both the correctness of Dreyfus' conviction and his deepest beliefs about his country and himself.
Robert Harris brings to life the scandal that captivated public opinion in the late 19th century, through a darkly captivating spy thriller of action and conspiracies.