 Detective Inspector John Rebus and his sidekick DS Siobhan Clarke are called to investigate a shooting at a local college. At the scene, the spattered blood and bullet holes that litter the room tell a tale of a frantic shooting, and the bodies of two dead schoolboys and a sports supervisor are revealed. One of the victims is the son of Rebus  cousin. Faced with the loss of a family member, Rebus strays across the police boundaries.