Sam Rhys, a former San Francisco Homicide Inspector now a political science professor at the University in Perth on the western coast of Australia where the locals are referred to as 'Sandgropers,' is happy. Happy to be termed a 'Sandgroper.' Happy to be in this sunny, laid-back land near his friend from college, Alex Rosen. Happy to be in love with Martha Malaxos, Sam's personal, tall, blonde Greek goddess. Happy to be away from his past life especially since the particularly heartbreaking murder of a little girl drove him from San Francisco years ago. But as Sam knows, the ugly side of life seems to haunt him even in his little paradise. He has been pulled into numerous investigations since discovering a serial killer and bringing him to justice. This time it's a dead bloke and the mysterious possessions he kept in a secret safe that start Sam on a journey that begins with a photo taken from space and ends with one of the most diabolically sinister plots in Australian history.