Smith is a man who knows when to say no. He avoids the cases where he'll never get paid. The cases for which no resolution is possible. And, most of all, the heart-rending cases. The ones that start with the tear-filled eyes of a mother, a sister, or a friend. The ones that haunt a man. The ones that push him to his limits. He says no before he gets pulled in, and he doesn't look back. His wife, Beatrice, however, does not. And thus begins the adventure that will push their love to the limits and cause them to risk everything that matters. And this time, they don't have their friends to help them along the way.

Smith knows a lot of things. He knows about crimes and why they occur. He knows where to find the best pint of ale and the coffee houses that cater to the criminal class. He knows where to find people who don’t want to be found. And he has—somehow—come to know about the lives of the spoiled and well-connected. What he doesn’t know is how someone even he finds objectionable has also slithered into the lives of his friends. Nor does he know when they became friends or why he’s worrying about them. Or what to do about their antics when it comes to his enemy. He only wishes he were surprised when his wife, Beatrice, knows exactly what to do.

Smith doesn't pretend to be anything but a man of blunt opinions and a fierce heart. His wife, however, is far gentler, far kinder, and somehow able to see the best parts of him. Then along comes someone who knows him. And that person is obsessed with Beatrice. Obsessed with a woman who seems to make all the worst parts of Smith better. Obsessed with a person who could love someone like him. It turns out that Smith's heart is fiercer and more dangerous than even Smith knew, but only when Beatrice is at risk.

It has been quite some time since Smith’s quarry has eluded him so fully. A woman was murdered in his home, he’s removed his family to Jack and Vi’s house, he’s pulled in all his friends to help, and he still can not find the engineer of his friend’s death. Only, the noose has been tightening. The traps have been laid, and now Smith will have to win against one of the cleverest villains he’s had to track down. All while ensuring he doesn’t lose anyone else. Join Smith on his most fraught journey yet and discover the person who has thwarted him thus far.

In this short novella, Smith and Beatrice have been taking a break since the horror of their recent adventures. They lingered in the country over the holidays, and then, rather than returning to London, they linger some more. Bea even drags Smith to the town where her family lives. When they’re approached by a woman who wants peace of mind, they find themselves agreeing. The goal was to ease back into their regular life, give this woman the answers she needed, and maybe save themselves from the brutality of London life a little longer. They should have known better.