On a late summer Monday, Doctor Claire Roget starts her new position as a clinical psychiatrist at Greatbach Secure Psychiatrist Unit in the Midlands city of Stoke on Trent. Six months before, her predecessor Heidi Faro was brutally murdered in her office by one of the inmates, Stefan Giulio, who suffers from brain damage. While Claire is adjusting to her new job, she becomes increasingly suspicious that someone else might be involved in the murder. She finds out that Heidi Faro had put a lock-down order on Jerome Barclay, a patient with a severe psychopathic personality disorder.

Claire soon discovers exactly how clever and manipulative Jerome Barclay can be, as he taunts her with hints and allusions to Heidi's murder. When Barclay turns his attention to Kristyna Gale, a nursing staff member, Claire confides her suspicions to her colleague, Rolf Fairweather, a clinical psychologist, and wants to warn Kristyna. But before she can, the nurse disappears. Claire finds herself trapped in a vulnerable position. If she speaks, she could be prosecuted either for breach of confidentiality or for failure to protect the public against a dangerous individual. Until, that is, the charred remains of Kristyna's body are found in a burnt car. Just the way Jerome Barclay had hinted. . .