Why would suicide need a witness? On the east coast of Ireland Victor Delahaye one of the country's most prominent citizens takes his business partner's son out sailing. But once at sea Davy Clancy is horrified to witness Delahaye take out a gun & shoot himself dead. This strange event captures the attention of Detective Inspector Hackett & his friend Pathologist Doctor Quirke. The Delahayes & Clancys have been rivals for generations & the suicide lays bare the perplexing characters at the heart of the mystery from Mona Delahaye's toxic young widow to Jonas & James his strange enigmatic twin sons; & Jack Clancy his down-trodden womanizing partner. & when a second death occurs one even more shocking than the first Quirke begins to realise that terrible secrets lie buried within these entangled families; & that in this world of jealousy ruthless ambition & pride -- nothing is quite as it seems.. .