Successful solicitor Fiona Judson is working on an appeal against the 30-year sentence imposed on Sean Whitlow for the brutal murder of his wife Janine. But as she interviews the charismatic prisoner Fiona finds herself increasingly drawn to him, and even though he is still in prison, they end up marrying.
Her friends and colleagues - particularly the brilliant young defence QC Charles Fleet - think she has gone mad but Fiona is convinced of her husband's innocence and that she is doing the right thing. And eventually the appeal is successful and Sean is released. Yet life with her husband as a pardoned, free man does not match Fiona's hopes and expectations and their relationship suffers a setback when after a row, Sean leaves their house - and seemingly disappears off the face of the earth.
Then a woman is murdered in London, in a manner that makes the police name Sean Whitlow as the prime suspect. More murders follow, and as the manhunt gets underway Fiona finds the conviction of her husband's innocence is wavering; did she really know the man she married - or was her love and trust simply a bargaining chip in getting a serial killer freed?
