Detective Superintendent Roy Grace suspects the sudden death of a former schoolteacher found in suspicious circumstances in a respectable Brighton backwater may not be the drugs overdose it first appears and when human remains are discovered in a Sussex field, Grace and Branson are drawn into an investigation that will test their abilities and their friendship to breaking point.

Tom Bryce did what any decent person would do. But within hours of picking up the memorystick that had been left behind on the train seat next him, and attempting to return it to its owner, he is the sole witness to a vicious murder. Then his young family are threatened with their lives if he goes to the police. But supported by his wife, Kellie, he bravely makes a statement, to the murder enquiry team headed by Detective Superintendent Roy Grace, a man with demons of his own - including his missing wife - to contend with. And from that moment, the killing of the Bryce family becomes a mere formality - and a grisly attraction. Kellie and Tom's deaths have already been posted on the internet. You can log on and see them on a website.

Detective Superintendent Roy Grace's career is at rock bottom and is in the last chance saloon running enquiries into long-forgotten cold cases with little prospect of success. Then he is approached by colleague DS Glen Branson to help investigate the disappearance of a Brighton property developer, who vanished without a trace on his stag night.