Laura Holbrook is bludgeoned to death one night while her husband is away. At first, it looks like a burglary gone wrong, but as Paget and Tregalles investigate, they realize the case is more complex than they first thought. Laura was a partner in Holbrook Micro-Engineering, which she single-handedly rescued from bankruptcy. Her cutthroat methods won her no friends among the company's employees, save for the owner, Simon Holbrook, whom Laura married once the company was back on track. But Simon is a known womanizer, and cracks soon appear in the marriage, especially after Simon is rumored to be sleeping with Laura's sister. As Paget and Tregalles dig deeper into the case, they unearth some ugly secrets and end up with a long list of leads and possible suspects.