It is July of 1838, and an uneasy peace hangs over Upper and Lower Canada. To Marc Edwards the new appointment signals an opportunity to unite the country for which he has long fought. But when Lord Durham’s nephew is discovered in bed beside a dead woman, the murder weapon in his hand, it seems as though any hope for progress is lost. Marc soon finds himself embroiled in the investigation that ranges from Toronto’s elite mansions to its most violent slums. With the fate of a country resting on his search, Marc races to uncover the truth behind the murder before time runs out. As Marc and police constable Horatio Cobb thread their way through the political backrooms and seedy barrooms of the city, they will come face-to-face with the desperation embraced by those who have nothing—and everything— to lose.