A man returns to Örebro, almost thirty years after leaving his hometown, determined to complete one last mission. A few hours later, the mutilated body of another man is found in the icy waters of the Svartån River. Soon, the police not only discover the identity of the victim but also the horrifying secret he was hiding in the basement of his house: this man was involved in a pedophile ring, and his basement had been turned into a boy's cell.

A boy who has disappeared.
Almost half a year after the events that nearly cost him his life, Inspector Anders Economides struggles to restore balance in his professional and personal life. The revelation of a pedophile ring and a murderer determined to kill its members was the last thing he wanted to confront.

When he comes face to face with the mysterious man codenamed "Samael," he will find himself up against a terrifying enemy. And he will uncover secrets about his family's past—secrets he wished had remained imprisoned under the ice of oblivion.