A shady deal. Two brutal murders. One detective on the brink.

Joe Crozier, the smooth-talking owner of a riverside nightclub, is used to calling the shots. So when a mysterious businessman offers a generous sum for his club, Crozier politely declines.

But what starts as a night of lavish wining and dining quickly turns dark. Bound, gagged, and left to drown in the icy river, Crozier’s fate is sealed.

Meanwhile, across town, Detective Priest is called to a chilling new case — one that hits far too close to home.

Tony Krabbe, a national hero and Priest’s old schoolmate, is found murdered in his remote lodge, stabbed through the heart with a climbing ice pick.

Two victims. Two vastly different lives. But as Priest delves deeper into the investigation, unsettling connections begin to emerge. Could this case be the one that finally pushes him over the edge?

This character-driven detective mystery full of wry humour is perfect for fans of Colin Dexter, Reginald Hill, J.R. Ellis, P.F. Ford and Roger Silverwood.