On the beach, west of Kings Lynn, a dog discovers eight bodies---all young and male, with their identifying papers removed; all suffocated to death and hastily dragged through the mud to their temporary graves.

Jules Carlisle, the youngest and most recently qualified member of Paul Jenkins Solicitors, knows very little about illegal immigration and would like to keep it that way.  But when she takes on the case of Mirko Dragunoviç, she finds herself intrigued by his plight and concerned for his welfare.

Mirko entered England from the former Yugoslavia three years ago legally, but overstayed his work visa. He believes his brother is one of the eight men, but identifying the body would mean imprisonment and deportation to Serbia. Although Mirko has knowledge of the human traffic operation that was bringing his brother to the United Kingdom, he’s reluctant to talk, leaving Jules torn between protecting him and following correct procedure.

But it seems the case is even more complicated than she first suspects. It isn’t long before Jules finds herself drawn inexorably into great danger, and back into the territory of the abused childhood she thought she had escaped forever....