When the leaders of the free world descend on Scotland for an international conference, every cop in the country is needed to control the mob of protestors in Edinburgh's streets... except one. Inspector John Rebus's reputation precedes him, so while Presidents Bush and Putin confer in isolated splendor, Rebus mans an empty police station, safely out of the way where he can't offend any visiting dignitaries.

Then a delegate falls to his death during a pre-conference dinner at Edinburgh Castle, and Rebus is given what looks like a simple suicide to write up. But even as he keeps it out of the headlines, Rebus probes where no probing is wanted - and doesn't like the side steps and power plays his questions engender. And this week Endinburgh is a dangerous place to be: Rebus also investigates the death of a recently paroled rapist, murdered in a particularly grisly fashion. The discover of more bodies leads Rebus to consider an unexpected and politically unacceptable possibility.

Amid political drama and street theater and with egos on parade at every level, Rebus works the throniest case he's ever encountered, with danger on a scale beyond his darkest imaginings.