Tom Caxton is an investigative journalist - and a poker player.
A tough man who values good food, wine, music, friendship and sex. Caxton, and Sergeant Harry Metaxas of the NSW police, have been co-opted into an elite federal task force. They are to find out what lies behind the activities of Sir Viktor Tiburzi, Albanian-Australian millionaire businessman and crook, whose corrupting influence may be poisoning the highest levels of government.
The story moves fast, across brilliantly-drawn landscapes from Canberra to outback Queensland to the Top End and to Thailand. Business corruption, banking morality, government double-dealing, racism and violent deaths form the background as Caxton and Metaxas pursue Tiburzi, unfolding plans for a wildly ambitious, hugely profit-driven but in other ways disastrous mining venture.