In a world where motherhood can be a crime, a woman risks everything to defy those in power . . . Ten years after the world took drastic action to rein in overpopulation, Elspeth suspects she is pregnant—illegally—after a brief, alcohol-fuelled fling with Nick. Even procuring a test to confirm it would be risky. As Elspeth tries desperately to keep her condition hidden from the authorities, a female detective becomes convinced something illicit is going on—and tries to resuscitate her own troubled career by pursuing this lawbreaker. But behind the scenes, two people are determined to come to Elspeth's aid. One is someone close to her who has a secret. The other is someone she would never have expected. Now, as danger closes in, how far will they go to keep Elspeth—and her unborn baby—safe?

An ostentatious party descends into violence—and a disgraced cop sets out to redeem herself by solving the case . . . Susan Grey’s fiftieth birthday party promised to be a talked-about event—an over-the-top extravagant gathering of a hundred guests at her sprawling Georgian home. But it would be talked about for all the wrong reasons . . . From an escalated argument to the disappearance of an expensive piece of jewelry, the party was quickly spiraling out of control. But the worst was yet to come, when Susan suffered a horrific fall down the grand staircase. Was it an accident or was she pushed? For DI Grace Roth, relegated to desk duty due to an internal investigation, this could be a high-profile case and a chance to redeem herself. But every lead seems to send her in circles. As the badly injured Susan lies in her hospital bed, DI Roth must try to gather the scattered pieces of the puzzle and make them...