A Lloyd and Hill novel

When the celebrity football match was abandoned just before half-time, Bartonshire police had no way of knowing that the swirling, choking fog had concealed much, much more than the striker's fancy footwork.

But by the end of the evening Chief Inspector Lloyd and Inspector Judy Hill were looking for a rapist - and a killer.

And, somewhere in Stansfield, Melissa Whitworth was just beginning to discover the truth about her husband . . .

"A spellbinding storyteller . . . persuasive and engaging." - Financial Times

"Another rich slice of provincial life by one of its most skilled narrators . . . impeccable and accomplished." - Mail on Sunday

"McGown, as usual, delivers superior crafting, careful plotting and unexpected turns." - The Times