DS Einegan's first investigation, with its bloody climax has pushed him to breaking point. Hearing of a cancellation on the Empress of Ontario he goes AWOL and buys a ticket to Montreal. On board, an old friend tells him about Patrick, a young crew member who is being badly treated. A month later, when the liner docks at Liverpool Patrick is missing and DCI Wilson gives him forty-eight hours to discover why. He makes progress. Then someone pushes him and he is swept away by the Mersey . . .