Four a.m on a wet stretch of the A1 and a driver skids out of control. Quick on the scene, Senior Investigating Officer Kate Daniels and partner DS Hank Gormley are presented with a horrifying image of carnage and mayhem that quickly becomes one of the worst road traffic accidents in Northumberland's history. But as the casualties mount up, they soon realize that not all deaths were as a result of the accident . . .

On the other side of town a house goes up in flames, turning its two inhabitants into charred corpses. This incident is seemingly unconnected with the traffic accident. But it soon becomes apparent that all is not what it seems, and Kate and her colleagues are always one step behind a ruthless killer who will stop at nothing to get what they want.