DCI Grace Macallan's career has hit a serious roadblock. When a covert police operation in Northern Ireland goes badly wrong, she's faced with a painful decision: lie to save a young officer's career, or tell the truth and ruin her own reputation. For Grace, there can be only one answer. Reassigned to the newly formed Lothian & Borders Major Crime Team, Grace Macallan is forced to rebuild her career and her reputation. But when a brutal attack on a prostitute turns into a series of murders, the Major Crime Team is under serious pressure. The tabloid headlines are lurid and the team badly needs a result. With a new life to build in a new city, a new boss as smooth as an 18-year-old malt, and a very high profile lawyer as the chief suspect, Grace soon begins to wonder if telling the truth is always the right thing to do.