Newly-qualified DC Sean Blake must tackle a series of bizarre and brutal killings in his first week on the job. A series of chilling murders has left Manchester in a state of terror. Women are being found dead in their homes, their bodies arranged in the same macabre pose. Each has been strangled, her mobile phone forced down her throat. How is the killer getting in to each victim's house? What have they done to become a target? Why have none put up a fight? Fresh-faced and full of enthusiasm, newly-qualified Detective Constable Sean Blake has just landed a position on the investigating team. Desperate to prove himself, Sean realizes that, if he is to catch the killer, he's going to have to think outside the box. But is he prepared for the vengeful wrath of a truly twisted mind...?

A corpse is found in a Manchester canal, encased in a sleeping bag and weighed down by bricks. DC Sean Blake's investigation has hardly begun before another body with links to it is discovered . . . also drowned. A mysterious figure seen asking questions about the victims becomes the prime suspect. But as Blake delves into the shady pasts of those killed, he finds connections to friends still living - including a crime lord of the city. Matters are complicated for Blake when those who once formed their childhood gang refuse to cooperate. With a killer so elusive and targets so unwilling to accept help, can Blake stop the body count from rising?