Detective Superintendent Jeff Barton is back and investigating a series of brutal murders of men who are out on stag nights in the centre of Manchester. But is this the work of a psychopath or, as Jeff comes to expect, an even more chilling story of someone who'll do anything for anyone just to belong?
During the course of the investigation, Jeff has to confront an old adversary in the form of one of Manchester's most notorious gangsters. But is this crime boss really associated with the killings or is Jeff only seeing what he wants to? And what connection is there with the murder of a bride on her wedding night in a swanky Manchester hotel?
Jeff and his deputy DS Rebecca Stockton continue to dance around their feelings for each other but they have to put that to one side to find a killer before someone else is found dead the morning after the night before.