Academic advisor Dr. Lars Helland is found dead in his office chair at the University of Copenhagen. In his bloody lap is a copy of one of his postgraduate student's thesis on the saurian origin of birds. The autopsy suggests the professor was killed in a very ingenious way so Police Superintendent Soren Marhauge is brought in to investigate. Everyone is a suspect, and as the investigation progresses, the detective is presented with the greatest professional and personal challenge of his career.