When Kay Stewart questions the validity of a neighbourhood renewal scheme devised by Giles Fenchurch, her work at New Scotland Yard and her family life are both disrupted. Exiled to Blackpool she meets up with journalist James Gerlin and lawyer Danielle Starkey who are aware of Fenchurch’s ruthless reputation and join with Kay to fight him. They also take Kay on a journey of sexual disorientation. Investigation of the gruesome killing of a tattoo artist leads to the discovery of Fenchurch’s master plan to recreate Blackpool as the Las Vegas of Europe, a centre for political corruption, drug and people smuggling and mob money laundering, shielded by Fenchurch’s private security forces that have access to Afghan heroin through their army service contracts. As she investigates and undermines Fenchurch, Kay is forced to come to terms with the frailty of her own identity and hitherto unknown secrets of her childhood. The full might of Fenchurch’s corruption, and his hold over prominent people and institutions, is launched at Kay, James and Danielle as they attempt to stop him. They need all their ingenuity to fight back.