It's not many 'Mickey from Manchester' thriller detective novels that have Mickey flat on his back from Chapter 3. Worse, he is in shock. and doesn't even remember his name.

Meanwhile his girlfriend Melia is staying at his house, recovering from a terrifying ordeal that Mickey previously rescued her from. It's no help to her Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder that some of the perpetrators turn up on her doorstep. Not fully recovered, she has enough wits about her to turn the tables on the arrogant, self-assured little no-good teenagers. With the help of her old pal Terry, she soon has them on the run, and even one of their Dads turns up to apologise on their behalf.

The hospital in Salford is crowded during this tale, when another major character suffers a life-changing fall. With two combatants in nearby beds, the mystery doesn't look it will get solved anytime soon, until Mickey's oldest friend Don Fellowes steps in.

Still, there is some more good news. The victims in the hospital beds appear to have inherited massive numbers of shares from the biggest property development firm in Salford. If they ever get back on their feet, they will be rich. And important.