When private investigator Lincoln Perry starts receiving letters from Parker Harrison, a convicted murderer, he ignores them. Then Harrison turns up at Lincoln's office begging for help.

Twelve years ago, Harrison was enrolled in a programme for paroled murderers run by Joshua and Alexandra Cantrell. One day, the couple vanished. No one has seen them since and their multimillion-dollar lakeside house is now a ruin. Harrison wants to find Alexandra.

Lincoln has no desire to work for a murderer, but when Joshua Cantrell's body turns up and he discovers that Alexandra was born into one of Cleveland's foremost mob families, he agrees to investigate, despite his misgivings.

Soon Lincoln is immersed in a family mystery that challenges his abilities as an investigator and has him looking over his shoulder at every twist and turn . . .