Unconventional Detective Miller investigates a contract killing involving severed hands, a villainous fast-food kingpin, and a psychotic hitman. Miller suspects the local criminal Wayne Cutler, a man he also believes is responsible for his wife's death. With newfound leverage, Miller finds himself in a dangerous mess as he tries to navigate a world of unusual characters and unpredictable events.
The story follows Detective Inspector Tom Thorne as he investigates the disappearance of the sixteen-year-old son of a former high-ranking police officer. Thorne must find the boy while dealing with a kidnapper who sends disturbing videos and a difficult father who may be hiding secrets. The central theme explores how "secrets are as easily buried as bodies".
