When forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod returns to her roots on Scotland's Isle of Skye, a chance encounter in the woods behind a nearby activities centre leads her to what seems to be a crime scene, but without a victim. Could this be linked to a group of army medics who visited the centre while on leave from Afghanistan and can no longer be located?

Enlisting the help of local tracker dog Blaze, Rhona starts searching for a connection.

Two days later an unidentified body is found at the base of Kilt Rock, which leads Rhona to suspect the missing medics may be on the island for reasons other than relaxation. Furthermore, elements of the case suggest a link with an ongoing operation in Glasgow, which draws DS Michael McNab into the investigation.

As the island's unforgiving conditions close in, Rhona must find out what really happened to the group in Afghanistan, as the consequences may be being played out in brutal killings on Skye . . .

'Rhona MacLeod has become one of the most satisfying characters in modern crime fiction - honourable, inquisitive and yet plagued by doubts and, sometimes, fears . . . As ever, the landscape is stunningly evoked and MacLeod's decency and humanity shine through on every page' Daily Mail