A top Chinese swimmer kills himself on the eve of an international event An Olympic weightlifter dies in the arms of his Beijing mistress Both men's deaths are connected to an inexplicable series of 'accidents' that have taken the lives of some of China's best athletes Detective Li Yan finds himself in charge of what could be his last investigation for the Beijing police Hampered by unco-operative officials, dogged by a vindictive rival for his job, his only hope of a breakthrough is a champion runner, the sole member of the Chinese athletes team who seems willing to talk But she will only talk to American psychologist Margaret Campbell - and now the runner has disappeared