Despite the sound of the heavy rain around him, the Fire Ant heard the "wumph" as the copper wires on the counter arced and shorted in a blue electronic flame, igniting the petrol fumes and causing the car to explode. The bright, yellow flames lit up the bush around, intensely, then a more subdued light as the blaze took hold and began to consume the vehicle and its driver.

Jack Waters returns in this sequel to A Murder of Crows as he and his partner Peter Murtagh continue their investigation into the ice epidemic growing in the country town of Ballarat. Demonstrating that the drug cartel style isn't confined to just the big city, a new operator is building an empire, ruthlessly removing all obstacles with no concern for the police or public.

Jack, Peter and the team they pull together seek to break the grip of the drug dealers, while investigating the mysterious dead bodies turning up, seemingly connected to the investigation - or are they?