Quirke is chief pathologist in Dublin City morgue. A young woman’s death leads Quirke to uncover a secret of Dublin’s high Catholic society, among them members of his own family.

Quirke investigates an apparent death by overdose and when another woman dies in similar circumstances, Quirke fears that Phoebe may also be drawn into Dublin’s drug culture.

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