A year after the murder of his wife, attorney David Sloane reconnects with former adversary Barclay Reid, who upon losing her daughter to a drug overdose has launched a campaign against Russian drug trafficking, only to be accused of murdering a dealer.
Recovering from near-fatal injuries from a bomb blast and grief over the loss of his wife, Kathy, Seattle PI Thomas Black tries to piece together memories, hallucinations, and the ravings of an alcoholic ex-CIA hit man.