Inspector Harry Hole is detached from the Oslo Crime Squad to Sydney to observe the investigation conducted by local authorities into solving a murder. Harry can offer his help but has explicit instructions not to get involved. The victim is a twenty-three-year-old Norwegian woman who is famous in her homeland. Naturally, Harry cannot remain a mere observer and befriends the inspector leading the investigation as well as one of the witnesses, resulting in him becoming entangled in the investigation. These three people will discover that the girl's murder is only the latest link in a chain of unsolved murders. They are thus faced with a psychopath operating across Australia. As the noose begins to tighten around the perpetrator, Harry fears that no one is safe anymore – not even those investigating the case.