During Helen Eriksson's last investigation, she made a deal with her reluctant partner—Gia Malone would help her in any way Helen deemed necessary, and when Helen closed her case, she'd help Gia not only find her long-lost brother, but uncover the truth about what happened to Gia's mother. Helen expected what she would find—a mother murdered by a stepfather who would most likely be in prison, if not for that crime, for something else. Certain that her prediction would be fulfilled, Helen delegates the investigation to her brother Crevan Conall, who traces the family's roots back to Boston, and quickly learns that Gia is a very gifted liar, one who rivals Helen's skills at deception. As each lie is exposed, the case becomes less clear, drawing Helen away from Darkwater Bay to lend her skills solving a mystery that culminates in a disturbing conclusion.