From the very first page of As the Sun Turns Black, it is clear that something is very rotten in the city of Manchester. Two young girls are missing - then one is found dead, covered in blood and swan-feathers. The murdered child turns out to be the daughter of Matt Spears' friend, Eddie, who appeals to him to find the killer. Matt refuses to get involved - he's having enough trouble trying to stabilize his business and keep his relationships alive. But then, the hated and heartless journalist, Garry Corless arrives back in town, prompting Matt to wonder whether the girl will be found dead or alive before the killer dubbed 'Red' strikes again. Matt begins to make a series of terrifying connections to a string of murders reaching into the past; driving him into a tangled web of police corruption, violence, blackmail, sexual obsession and fraud. From the upper echelons of high finance to the gritty underbelly of the Lancashire shadows - no one is safe.