A young woman's death leads Quirke, consultant pathologist at Dublin's Holy Family Hospital, to uncover a secret in the city's high Catholic society that involves members of his own family.

Quirke investigates an apparent death by overdose which looks like suicide until another woman dies in similar circumstances.

Phoebe asks Quirke to help her search for her missing friend, April; Quirke fears that April has come to harm, but her family tries to cover up her disappearance.