Minneapolis P.I. Marta Hjelm failed to prevent a murder that was waiting to happen. Her guilt has brought her right to the edge of burnout and dropout. But a prize specimen from her ancient past-her cheating ex-husband-appears out of nowhere with a gig too good to turn down. One last job, Marta figures, can't hurt. But hurt it does, as Marta tries to make sense of a terrorist plot at a major ad agency. In the dead of a long, bitter Minnesota winter, she struggles to survive attempts on her life. To understand her conflicted feelings toward an ex who wants her back and toward the man who healed her when everything was dark. To make peace with the ghost of the murder victim she should have saved. And to crack open multiple conspiracies that lead to murder and smoking ruin.