Shortly after 9 p.m. a young woman left the River Bar of the Lowry Hotel, Salford Manchester. She paused, as her mobile phone rang. It was to be the last time she would ever do so. She was dragged backwards the few feet towards the river Irwell. It was an easy task for a strong man to haul the petite woman over the low railings and heave her into the murky waters below.Marian Clowes is celebrating her birthday. She worked for a company assisting unemployed people to gain employment. Claims to a government funding body have been falsified. Marian a suspected whistle blower, is also a member of Harmony Earth, protesting against fracking for oil. Marian's boss disappears along with the Contract Manager of FrackUK. Enigmatic sleuth the Gent becomes involved.