Detective Inspector Bob Valentine returns to duty, after a narrow escape with death, only to be confronted with the discovery of a corpse on a kitchen table with a horrific neck wound. A mystery also surrounds the victim's missing partner and her daughter.

When the murder investigation reveals a tragic family drama, Valentine struggles with rapidly unfolding events and the terrifying visions that haunt him.

As he uncovers the family's illicit secrets, can he keep a grip on the case and on his own sanity before the body count starts to rise?

Praise for Books by Tony Black:

"Tony Black is my favourite British crime writer." —Irvine Welsh

"If you're a fan of the Ian Rankins, Denise Minas and Irvine Welshes of this world, this is most certainly one for you." —The Scotsman

"Black is one of those excellent perpetrators of Scottish noir: a compelling and convincing portrayer of raw emotions in a vicious milieu." —The Times

"This up-and-coming crime writer isn't portraying the Edinburgh in the Visit Scotland tourism brochures." —The Sun

"Taut, with a heart-wrenchingly honest protagonist and impressive literary style, it is among the best of the new Tartan Noir." —The Daily Mail