In a London prison a serial offender, Gerry Hythe, gloats over the death of his one-time prison visitor, Harriet Washington. He thinks he is in prison once again because of her, and still protests his innocence. Through flashback, Harriet gradually reveals her view of what has happened, as she confronts her own sense of guilt over the crime. Evidence from past and present is woven into a chilling mystery in a novel that explores challenging themes with subtlety and intelligence.