Escaping to America from the turmoil of her life back in Edinburgh, DI Jim Meldrum's daughter, Betty, is swept off her feet by a handsome man from back home. A whirlwind romance quickly culminates in marriage. But what are the secrets he is hiding? Handsome and rich, but still a mystery, has Betty married a monster?

Meanwhile, back in Edinburgh, Jim Meldrum is feeling the strain of working on a high profile case. A businessman's wife is missing and, Jim suspects, has become a victim of foul play. As Meldrum investigates the businessman's past, he uncovers facts that seem to connect this case to a number of unsolved rapes...