Dark Heart

Staffe knows Juliette's boyfriend, Paolo, is bad news. But with a serial killer at large, his focus is on finding a connection between three accused but unconvicted paedophiles – Collins, Dawlish and Statham.

Staffe just can't escape the feeling that Nico Cashell is serving time for another man's crime. The rage exhibited in all three attacks feels far too distinct to have been carried out by different people.

Staffe turns to his ex-boss Bob Jessop, who worked on the original Statham case. Jessop is vehement they got the right man in Nico Cashell. Physical evidence placed him in the vicinity of Statham's attack, he had a clear motive and besides… he confessed.

Staffe's ex-girlfriend Sylvie, is one of the few people aware of the full extent of the trauma he wrestles. And as they have dinner to mark the anniversary of his parent's death, it's clear that revenge as a feature of his current case is compounding Staffe's struggle to process living longer without his parents than with Staffe wonders if he will ever be able to escape the shackles of his past.

Encountering a frustrating lack of answers from the victims' families, and at stalemate with Nico Cashell, Staffe knows taking risks is the only thing that will put him ahead.

Staffe takes the opportunity to scope out the Cashell's empty home. What he finds is an irrefutable link between two of the three victims' families. And with this, the yarn begins to unravel to arrive at a disturbing conclusion that will force Staffe to question the integrity of every decision he has made.