This is both political, murder, and psychological thriller, involving the crisis in Northern Ireland. In 1985, Det. Chief Inspector Cross of Belfast's Royal Ulster Constabulary wonders if he should leave the force. He has been there for 12 yrs. and is both British and Catholic, which does not help in his work. This novel involves a killer who crosses both political and religious lines. This novel explains a great deal about what happened in Northern Ireland at the time.