Sergeant Molly Power of the Irish Police Force is called to investigate an attack on a young African man, Shad, left for dead on the Dublin Mountains. He dies in hospital with strange and disturbing injuries - a racist attack, sadism, a punishment or some mysterious sacrificial ritual? Inspector Quilligan and Molly Power have never experienced a murder investigation like this. Shad's younger brother Jude, who also lives in Dublin, swears a solemn oath to find his brother's killer, but as he uncovers Shad's life outside their Nigerian community he realises how dangerous and twisted some people can be.