As Inspector Jefe Javier Falcón investigates a mutilated, faceless corpse unearthed on the municipal dump, a massive explosion rocks the beautiful, peaceful city of Seville.

An apartment building collapses and a nearby pre-school is devastated, killing and wounding men, women and children.

As a late, high summer heat tightens its grip, panic sweeps through the city and the population flees while the region is put on red alert.

More bodies are dragged from the rubble and terror invades the domestic life of the flamboyant judge, Esteban Calderón, and the troubled mind of the captivating Consuelo Jiménez.

But just as he comes close to cracking the conspiracy he makes the most terrifying discovery of all, and then the race is on to prevent a major catastrophe far beyond Spain's borders.