When Dublin pathologist Quirke glimpses a familiar face while on holiday with his wife, it´s hard, at first, to tell whether his imagination is just running away with him. Could she really be who he thinks she is, and have a connection with a crime that nearly brought ruin to an Irish political dynasty? Unable to ignore his instincts, Quirke makes a call back home and Detective St John Strafford is soon dispatched to Spain. But he´s not the only one on route: as a terrifying hitman hunts down his prey, they are all set for a brutal showdown.