Jack Dawe

England, 1645. The cruel civil war between Royalists and Parliamentarians that is ravaging the country causes an era of chaos and legal arbitrariness that allows unscrupulous men to profit by exploiting the absurd superstitions of the peasants; like Matthew Hopkins, a monster disguised as a man who wanders from town to town offering his services as a witch hunter.

A young woman commits suicide. Her sister is not ready to let the death go without someone answering a few questions. Namely, was it really suicide, and where is the large amount of money her sister withdrew from the bank the day before her death.

The adulterous Mrs Griffiths' corset has, unbeknown to her, a fortune stashed in it by her drunken, money-loving husband.

A shady business man has perpetrated a fraud that has resulted in the death of a large number of people. His business partner has evidence of the fraud and threatens the fraudster with exposure in the event of any further dishonest dealing. But when the fraudster suddenly receives death threats he decides to fake his own murder in a plan both to get his hands on the evidence.

Arthur Payne, recently out of prison, meets a stranger, Theo Gaunt, on a train and explains his situation. A few days later another stranger makes a curious proposition. Arthur should participate in a fake robbery and remove some imitation jewellery from the stranger's own safe.