''The world will witness my despair . . .''

In the heart of Beijing's business district, a man throws himself off the top of a building. Tied to an advertising hoarding on the roof, he leaves behind his dead and frozen child.

Having earlier rejected the man's plea for help, Beijing private investigator Song has enough to deal with – Song’s own father-in-law, soon to be tried on corruption charges, is found dead. Did he kill himself or was someone else involved?

But Song cannot forget the man and his frozen child. When he starts to investigate, he and his team are drawn into a web of evil that extends from the scorching Beijing summer to the slums of London. And in a country where justice is often for sale, can Song discover the truth before it is buried for good?