Stalking a poisoner at the local zoo, Inspector John Rebus comes across a paedophile taking pictures of children. When the social workers claim he is there for legitimate educational reasons, Rebus is faced with a dilemma - should he be outed to protect local kids or given a chance to start anew?

As the locals begin a hate campaign, Rebus gets a call from the past: the son of a friend has gone missing and no one else will make time to ask the right questions.

And then a fragment of Scotland's criminal history is repatriated at the end of a life sentence for murder. Once more Rebus' cup of trouble runneth over and the ghosts of past misdeeds return to haunt Edinburgh's streets.

Read by Bill Paterson

(p) 1999 Orion Publishing Group