When the sea yields a grim discovery on Whitby's coast, DCI Frank Black hears the haunting cry of Greg Lyle - a vulnerable 13-year-old boy fascinated by sea creatures, last seen walking his beloved dog, Buddy, twenty-six years ago. Alongside his autistic companion, DI Gerry Carver, Frank pursues this cry through a labyrinth of shattered homes, hidden identities, and religious obsessions. In Greg, Frank recognises Gerry's vulnerability. In Simon Lyle, he sees reflections of his own failings as a father. As buried truths surface, Frank's resolve only strengthens. He will answer the cry of this forgotten soul. Even if it costs him his own.