Detective Inspector Mike Ireland is a solitary man, both in his private and his professional life. Assistants tend not to stay in post very long, driven away by his sharp tongue and short temper... Until the day Jacob James is appointed as his Sergeant. This soft-spoken and serious young man, known locally as The Choirboy, is adored by friends and fans alike, a lay-preacher and gospel singer respected by all. Almost at once, their lives are thrown into turmoil and torment as The Choirboy's childhood ghosts reach out to threaten his existence. The rude and remorseless loner finds he can no longer function alone, while the charismatic entertainer is forced to rely on his irascible boss for safety and sanity. Can these two men work together on a case involving theft, kidnap and murder before they are overwhelmed by disaster..?