"In Dublin, newly promoted detective inspector Joe Swallow's life looks to be taking a turn for the better. In addition to his promotion, he's settled into a comfortable arrangement with his landlady and paramour, Maria Walsh--that is, until his newfound peace is chaotically uprooted when a series of violent attacks against women lead to an outbreak of panic and fear. Swallow is drawn into the chase for a vicious serial murderer down Dublin's dark alleys, and things on the home front are about to change in an unexpected way"--From publisher description.