As ever, many thanks are due to the wonderful Selina Walker, a patient, kind and honest editor who has an invaluable eye for the rhythm of a story and is always a good laugh. Also, to the home team of Rachel Calder, Henry Dunow, Camilla Ferrier and all at The Marsh Agency who have bought my houses for me.

I have to give the Transworld editorial, marketing and misc. people their very own paragraph to say a fat thank you for all the effort and help given for little return and little acknowledgement. Many of them are known to me,some not, but I still appreciate all their work and want to buy them a drink. Sadly, I'm tight, so I probably won't.

It seems like just another domestic dispute for journalist Paddy Meehan.

The blonde woman bleeding from a head injury behind the front door of one of Glasgow's smarter houses doesn't seem to want any help. And the well dressed man beside her assures Paddy that everything is fine.

And then he slips her a crisp $50 note to keep the story out of the papers.

By the next morning the woman is dead. Paddy has found the story she's been dreaming of, but she'll lose all credibility if words gets out about her bribe. To make matters worse, the police who attended the dispute are twisting the evidence for reasons of their own.

Only Paddy cares enough to pursue a dark and brutal truth that could make her career- or kill her.