When attorney Barbara Holloway takes a case, there's no middle ground: it's her rules, her way. Now, as she finds herself at the helm of a complex defence involving the murder of a man everybody loathed, all she needs is what she most lacks clear and convincing proof.

The Kelso/McIvey rehabilitation center is a place of hope and healing for its patients and for the dedicated volunteers who work there. For beautiful Annie McIvey in particular, it's a sanctuary from her cruel husband; and for directors Naomi and Greg Boardman it's the culmination of a lifelong dream. But it's a dream about to be destroyed by Annie's husband David

A brilliant surgeon, an implacable misogynist, a man whose ego rivals his skill with a scalpel, David McIvey plans to close the doors on the centre's good work and good people, replacing it with a state–of–the–art surgery with him at the helm.

So when David's body is discovered outside the clinic early one morning it's no surprise to anyone, especially Barbara Holloway, that somebody dared to stop him in cold blood

Now Barbara must use her razor–sharp instincts and take–no–prisoners attitude to defend the two members of the clinic about to stand trial for his murder. Annie McIvey and Darren Halvord are accused of having an affair and plotting to kill David but Barbara believes a more complex motive lies at the heart of the crime. In order to expose it, she is forced to explore the darkest hiding place – the soul beneath the skin.