Brighton 1816
The Prince Regent, later to become King George IV, is in his beloved Pavilion, and Brighton has become the playground for the rich and famous, a place to "take the waters" and hobnob with royalty. Thousands flock to the town to be close to the future king and the sea. But when a bloody ritualistic murder takes place in the royal household, it falls to Bow Street Runner Thomas Lavender, known as "the Regent's Runner", to follow a trail that leads from the slums of Brighton to the mansions of London and, using his unique talents, to uncover a plot that threatens the life of the heir apparent.