"They are still called dustmen in Britain. Not garbage collectors or sanitation engineers, but dustmen. And Lochdubh's dustman is a drunk named Fergus Macleod who lives in a run-down cottage and abuses his wife and four small children. His lot in life seems to improve with the arrival of Freda Fleming, an environmentalist recently elected to Strathbane Council who intends to "green" Lochdubh.

Setting up an elaborate recycling center, the politically ambitious council-woman doubles Fergus's salary as the new "environment officer."".

"The developing plan worries Constable Hamish Macbeth. The astute lawman knows that power corrupts and that the machinations of the overbearing Freda and Fergus will come to no good. Soon enough, Fergus becomes a bullying tyrant, issuing unwarranted fines and enforcing petty rules. When he's found murdered, stuffed in a recycling bin, no one's sorry, including his long-suffering family.".

"Thus begins a difficult eyesore of a case for Macbeth, one in which the list of suspects is literally the size of the local phone book. As Macbeth soon discovers, the widely detested Fergus was also involved in a blackmailing scheme, yet the victims are strangely reluctant to give out information. Now Hamish must quickly sift through the litter of lies and dark secrets, for a murderer stalks the small town, overtunning it with fear and deathly grime."--BOOK JACKET.