Winter is coming, and Detective Inspector Barton is facing the toughest case of his career...

Ellen Toole's therapist told her to forget the past, but with her family story shrouded in secrecy, that’s easier said than done. The approaching long nights of winter loom threateningly in front of her, and with her mother on her death bed, Ellen has never felt more alone. When it becomes clear that her mother has kept secrets about a history darker than Ellen ever imagined, Ellen must find answers about the past if she has any hope for a future.

DI Barton and his team are still recovering from a particularly tough and grisly case, so a report of a kidnapping, followed by the discovery of two dead bodies, is the last thing they need. There’s a murderer on the loose, and the killer needs to be stopped before they strike again. This winter, there will be vengeance on Ellen's mind, and DI Barton will struggle with his hardest case to date.

How can Barton find the truth, when all the victims and witnesses are dead?

Praise for Ross Greenwood:

‘Ross Greenwood is at the top of his game.' O J Mullen

'Move over Rebus and Morse; a new entry has joined the list of great crime investigators in the form of Detective Inspector John Barton. A rich cast of characters and an explosive plot kept me turning the pages until the final dramatic twist.' Richard Burke

‘Master of the psychological thriller genre Ross Greenwood once again proves his talent for creating engrossing and gritty novels that draw you right in and won’t let go until you’ve reached the shocking ending.’ Caroline Vincent at Bitsaboutbooks blog

'Ross Greenwood doesn’t write clichés. What he has written here is a fast-paced, action-filled puzzle with believable characters that's spiced with a lot of humour.' Kath Middleton