In the peaceful garden of a London house, a manhole cover has just been raised. Inside the cellar lie three bodies. Two men and a woman. None carry identification. The men have been there for twelve years; the woman for only two. For Inspector Wexford, this is a case worth coming out of retirement for. Soon he is trying to establish who the victims in the vault are - and most importantly who put them there. But a shocking development in his private life means that his search for the truth is about to become a lot more complicated ...