1943 - Winton, Southland, New Zealand. Marine Randolph Harrington, the charismatic and handsome saxophonist of a visiting United States Marines jazz band, is found murdered by the banks of the Oreti River. Detective Inspector John MacBride is about to retire, and the complex murder investigation is the last thing he needs. He has his own demons, the after-effects of fighting with the NZ Expeditionary Force in WWI. The highly respected investigator fears he'll break down before he can solve the case with only his inexperienced Detective Constable and two old-school Detectives from Dunedin to help. Outright hostility and red herrings clutter their investigation but there's no bigger obstacle than Lieutenant-Colonel Warren, the murdered Marine's bullish commanding officer, determined to protect the reputation of the US Marines at all costs. Marine Harrington has left behind a string of broken hearts and stories of contraband activities while he was in Southland. His fellow band members offer differing accounts of Harrington's character, while the besotted young women with whom Harrington was involved have their own stories to tell. Will Detective Inspector MacBride and his team uncover the murderer before the US Marines return to their South Pacific deployment, and before MacBride's mental health deteriorates beyond repair?