When a young boy and girl are brutally murdered within days of each other, DI Handford and Sergeant Ali uncover not only the desperate plight of children trapped in Bradford's harsh criminal underworld, but murderous corruption and twisted minds in the most respected sections of the community. Against a background of urban and racial tensions, Handford and Ali form a distinctly uneasy partnership, struggling daily to repress their mutual suspicion. But they must put aside their differences to probe the dark and seedy lives of those who hold positions of trust-and stop a cold-blooded serial killer from fulfilling his dreadful mission.