The only things that could disrupt this new world order are Paddy's past and her concern for her son. Sure enough, both soon blow up in her face when former flame and fellow reporter Terry Hewitt is found murdered, one of the child murderers is released from prison, and 5-year-old Pete becomes a pawn used to manipulate the otherwise self-assured woman.
The newly freed convict is a child himself. Callum Ogilvy, the young cousin of Paddy's former fiance Sean, is barely 19 and no longer sure exactly what did happen in that muddy field. What he keeps repeating is that he wants a peaceful life, "to work in a factory and live within a loving family structure." But when Paddy and Sean pick him up after his release, hoping to dodge Paddy's colleagues - all of whom are desperate for an interview - the young man shows an anger that terrifies Paddy. Whether it is inherent or the result of nearly a decade in prison, she can't tell, but she knows she wants him nowhere near Pete. Sean has already told young Callum about Pete, however, and to make matters worse, Paddy can't hide her son's existence from another threat.
After Terry's execution-style death - he has been stripped naked and shot in the head - a cold-eyed man comes to visit. Although Pete is not home, he notices the young boy's toys before taking off, and Paddy realizes she will have to track him down if she ever hopes to sleep well again.
As happened in the first two books of this series, Paddy's career of writing for the Daily News gives her an entree into the police investigation surrounding Terry's murder, as well as into the gossipy bars where cops and journalists gather. Mina excels at this kind of writing, the back-and-forth of competitors and colleagues, the way tension and love bind people uneasily. She's a leisurely writer; although Terry's murder opens the book, the action plays out slowly, and she lets us soak up the abundant ambience and personality.
