In the idyllic town of Stonebury, 16-year-old Molly Summers is murdered--stabbed 43 times without any sign of struggle. One year later, Richard Kingsley, a crippled celebrity pulp novelist, faces trial for her murder. To the media the case is a sensation, to the courts it's an outrage, and to the burned-out middle-aged barrister Tom Fawley--convinced his client is guilty--it's the beginning of a long and profound journey.