Eighth book in Department Q:
For over a decade, Assad has been an enigmatic powerhouse in Department Q, but a chain reaction of violent events brings him to the brink of total meltdown. Only a hard-pressed Rose can help him decipher the dark demons awakened by Spanish journalist Juan Aiguader's coverage of a refugee's tragic death. With Assad at the center, thirteen days of nerve-wracking countdown to the ultimate catastrophe in the heart of Europe begins, ruthlessly orchestrated by the Iraqi executioner Ghaalib.
At the same time, Department Q is shaken by the death of a key colleague and by a desperate attempt to prevent the uncompromising and murderous act of a confined and insane boy. In the fight to save lives and solve Assad's traumatic dilemma, Carl Mørck and the rest of Department Q are thrown directly into the eye of the storm, where no one is spared from making drastic decisions and acting with all available means.
