The police need Harry Hole because a killer is roaming the streets of Oslo and murdering police officers. Specifically, the victims are found at crime scenes they failed to solve. The murders are violent and the media's reaction is hysterical. The eternal Harry, a detective by nature, has been involved in all major crime investigations in Oslo in recent years. With his very personal sense of justice guiding him, loyal to what he loves and determined to defend it, this time he seems lost and helpless. Will he manage to surpass himself once again as the wreck of his personal life has sunk him to the bottom?