When ex-homicide detective Peter Galloway is asked to investigate a murder in the Alberta oil sands, he has nothing but misgivings. His better judgment, however, is trumped by the prospect of working with an intriguing RCMP officer. Armed with only his wits and the support of a small-town police service, he is forced to confront not only the dark side of a modern oil boomtown, but his own personal demons. With no shortage of suspects, Galloway must find an elusive killer or risk damaging his hard-won reputation in this seemingly idyllic northern community.