Garda Inspector Michael McLoughlin is trying to enjoy his retirement -
doing a bit of PI work on the side, meeting up with former colleagues,
fixing up a grand old house in a genteel Dublin suburb near the sea.
Then he discovers the body of his neighbor, a retired judge - brutally
murdered, shot through the back of the neck, his face mutilated beyond
recognition. McLoughlin finds himself drawn into the murky past of the
murdered judge, which leads him back to his own father's killing,
decades earlier, by the IRA. In seeking the truth behind both crimes, a
web of deceit, blackmail and fragile reputations comes to light, as
McLoughlin's investigation reveals the explosive circumstances linking
both crimes - and dark secrets are discovered which would destroy the
judge's legendary family name.