An unexpected invite to his estranged mother's surprise birthday party at a fancy Durham hotel gives DI Aector McAvoy and his wife Roisin a chance for a well-deserved holiday. Off-duty, and still recovering from his previous injuries, McAvoy is determined to take advantage of the all-expenses-paid break, despite the old grudges and thick tension between himself and his step-family. However, what should have been a relaxing, if awkward, getaway weekend turns out to be a full-on nightmare, when McAvoy finds himself in the middle of a town drama that involves the tragic demise of Ishmael Piper, a rock star's millionaire son . . . and best friend of McAvoy's charming, bullying step-brother. With dark secrets slowly unravelling, McAvoy needs to put his personal issues aside to unmask the evil forces behind Ishmael's mysterious death before he becomes a victim of them himself . . .