When Jack Irish is engaged to find a missing ex-con, his small time case takes a deadly turn and he is thrust into a labyrinthine conspiracy that sees him pegged for a murder he didn't commit. Meanwhile, Jack's on again off again flame Linda arrives in Manila determined to fast track herself to journalistic prominence.

As the true identity of his original employer is called into question, Jack and his alibi Sarah Longmore edge closer to the truth behind Wayne's death and Tina's disappearance. But as the trail grows warmer, the threat to their lives intensifies. Meanwhile, Jack enlists a reluctant Linda in the hunt for a lead over in Manila.

When their investigation points towards shady megachurch The Way of the Cross, Jack and Sarah begin to suspect head pastor Rob Shand knows more about Tina's disappearance than he's letting on. In Manila, Linda's loyalty to Jack takes her investigation to the hostile island of Mindanao, where a different kind of treachery awaits�

Convinced that Pastor Shand was responsible for Tina's murder, Jack determines to solve the case before Sarah succumbs to her obsession for vengeance. But just as Linda unearths a powerful and damning lead on Mindanao that leads directly to the Way of the Cross, Jack is once again dealt a sudden, tragic blow

As Jack's mind takes an increasingly dark turn after the fire, Pastor Shand finds himself in similarly dire circumstances. With justice looking unlikely, a despondent Jack Irish severs his long held ties with nobility and takes righteousness into his own hands. Back in Manila, Linda's hazardous investigation yields unexpected results.

On the run and with nothing left to lose, Jack must rely on his few remaining allies to help uncover the last evidence needed to bring the chilling Via Crucis conspiracy to light, and save his own life in the process.