A sequel to Borough Men, the story moves into the nineteen-eighties, but still turns on the gritty reality of criminal investigation in that era. David Solomons is now a detective sergeant on the regional crime squad with an underworld scalp to his credit and a contract on his head. Working undercover to Detective Inspector Wendy Collins of the drugs unit the pair are assigned to investigate the suspicious death of a drug addict whose demise was the consequence of taking a cancer drug he'd stolen from a psychiatrist during a counselling session. When it becomes apparent that the drug addict's death is peripheral and the real victim is a political activist whose passing has already been processed in circumstances that amount to a perfect murder, the investigation is dumbed-down from within. By now an item, Wendy and Sol revert to clandestine means to pursue their enquiries. The sinister trail leads them to a day centre for youngsters and then to Spain where they access an international mailing list. Alone, Sol visits an accommodation address in London, and attempts to check the vehicle registration number of a royal page. The couple are preparing to marry when, in the interest of national security, a decision is taken to facilitate the underworld contract on Sol.