Dave Robicheaux, Louisiana police detective, is drawn into a series of murders in which he believes that the killer is not the suspect the public is convicting. But before Robicheaux can solve these crimes and bring the killer or killers to justice, he must first battle his own inner demons, including a painkiller addiction, a habit that began as a result of a brutal beating he suffered at the hands of a man known as Legion. With the help of a longtime buddy, Robicheaux struggles with his investigation and soon finds that what began as a duel of wits has turned into a dance of death ...