A Scobie Malone novel, in which award-winning writer Jon Cleary vividly portrays the struggle against crime and social prejudice on the streets in Sydney.

In the gay community of Sydney, homophobic attacks happen all too often. But now, someone has taken the law into their own hands and is eliminating the culprits. To complicate matters further, each shooting appears to have been done by a different person.

Whoever it is, Detective Scobie Malone realises that he is up against an intelligent, highly dangerous killer who is as elusive as he is deadly. At the same time, this difficult case is causing tension within the force as prejudices of all kinds – race, creed, colour and sexual preference – rear their ugly heads.

It seems like the killer is always one step ahead, protected by those who believe the ends justify the means. But Malone’s determination to crack the case intensifies when his own precious daughter has a near escape.