The body of a young girl has been washed up on the shores of the River Forth near Alloa. At first, it seems like a tragic suicide. However, as DI Adam Stark and his team start to investigate, things appear to be less clear-cut. Links to an influential local family, Stark's old adversaries the McDuffs, a semi-professional footballer, and the loner who discovered her body, slowly begin to weave together, forming a different story. Something dark lurks in their shared past. Meanwhile, Stark's own past is taking its toll. He's going through a bit of a crisis. Loneliness and self-doubt are gnawing at him. He doesn't realise it yet but these feelings will soon pale as the case heads towards a shocking conclusion.