Winter storms lash the Isles of Scilly when DI Ben Kitto ferries the islands' priest to St Helen's. Father Michael intends to live as a pilgrim in the ruins of an ancient church on the uninhabited island, but an ugly secret is buried among the rocks. Digging frantically in the sand, Ben's dog, Shadow, unearths the emaciated remains of a young woman. The discovery chills Ben to the core. The victim is Vietnamese, with no clear link to the community - and her killer has made sure that no one will find her easily. The storm intensifies as the investigation gathers pace. Soon Scilly is cut off by bad weather, with no help available from the mainland. Ben must look beyond the islands to find a vicious killer. He knows they are waiting to kill again - and at unimaginable cost.
