It is set in Washington DC and focuses on private investigator Derek Strange and his new partner Terry Quinn.

It is the first novel to involve the characters and is followed by Hell to Pay (2002), Soul Circus (2003) and Hard Revolution (2004) The novel follows private investigator Derek Strange as he works on several cases in Washington DC.

Strange's main case is to investigate the death of Chris Wilson.

Strange focuses on ex-cop Terry Quinn who shot Wilson.

The shooting was high profile and characterised as racially motivated; Quinn is caucasian while Wilson was African American.