Jack Taylor finds an itinerant, eleven year old girl running for her life, covered in blood she collapses in his arms. It transpires that the girl has witnessed a murder. The Irish Guards - prejudiced against the Travellers and their rivaling clans - only investigate half-heartedly. Jack who is as erratic as a Traveller attends to the case. But the only answer seems to lie in the little girl. But the girl remains silent. What is she hiding? Did she identify the murderer? Is her life in danger? His investigations lead Jack to old blood feuds, drug trafficking and affairs...