Nick Carter is a fictional detective who first appeared in 1886 in dime store novels. Over the years, different authors, all taking the nom de plume Nicholas Carter, have penned stories featuring "America's greatest detective". Nick is approached by a young friend with a sorry tale to tell. His inheritance from his father, some valuable diamonds, have been stolen, his uncle murdered during the robbery and his cousin brutally assaulted. Who could the perpetrators be, and how did they know of the diamonds so recently arrived from South Africa? You can be sure Nick will solve the riddle.