Visiting Hong Kong with his wife, who's attending a conference, Admiral Jake Grafton has come to the former British province expecting a chance to unwind. But soon Grafton is caught up in seismic political events beyond his control . . . possibly beyond anyone's contol.

First, a series of political murders shakes Hong Kong's power structure to the core. Then, when the Communist-led government shuts down a faltering bank and answers subsequent rioting with bloody reprisals, mainland China's future in the coveted city seems anything but certain. The paranoid regime acts quickly, shutting down newspapers, arresting reporters, interning anyone who looks suspicious. But once this powder keg's lit, there will be no telling how fast it will explode. Or how far that explosion will reach.

When Jake Grafton's wife is kidnapped by shadowy assailants, the battle-tested admiral will need to navigate the violence erupting around him if he ever wants to see he alive again. But when his search takes him right into the eye of the storm, Grafton will need to team up with Tony Carmellini, the high-tech super-sleuth from CUBA, and a team of Chinese patriots who are willing to die for their nation's freedom . . .