DCI Harpur and his ferocious, unstable boss ACC Desmond Iles find their domain descending into bloody chaos as drug dealers fight for dominance. The long and profitable control of the illegal substances market is under threat, and a man in a fine suit is found with his throat cut. Luckily, Iles has been doing some illicit work himself, and his phone-tapping reveals just what to do. But it's set to be one of the stickiest stand-offs yet on their patch.