Trying without much success to heal from a personal tragedy of months before, Lawrence Lightfoot is rocked from his stupor by an explosion that rips through the hotel where he's staying in Nice, France, killing scores. Then, in an accidental meeting with at least one of its intended victims, a charismatic ex-mercenary leader, Gavin Morley, Lightfoot is dragged still further away from the dark reflections that have held his life hostage. The blood soaked sun of Nice, the fall-shaded streets of New York, the dark alleys of Istanbul, the fog-bound waters of the Dardanelles, and the ancient birthplace of paradise a few hours outside Nairobi on the high plains of Kenya are all visited before returning to the deepening shadows that still haunt Nice. A tale of brutal betrayal, savage murder, and finally even tender love, Lawrence Lightfoot must untangle another mystery unleashed by the madness of the clever assassin or assassins-people who will stop at nothing to obtain their bloody ends.