Australia, 1948. Detective Harry Taylor, an injured war hero, returns from investigating two murders in a small country town, to be confronted by the increasingly violent crime scene in Sydney. The existing underworld figures and corrupt officials have been entrenched in illegal gambling, prostitution, robbery and drugs in the hotspots of Kings Cross, Wooloomooloo, Surry Hills, The Rocks and Marrickville.

Attracted by the rich pickings in Sydney, prominent criminals from Melbourne move into the suburbs and the resulting turf wars create a volatile environment for everyone involved.

There has been a contract put out on Harry. Who wants him out of the way and why? Who can he trust?

With the help of a few trusted friends, Harry faces the most dangerous crime scene in the country.

This is the second book in the Harry series of detective novels, following The Ant Nest.