This is a tale of sin and blackmail. It stems from a simple diary and spirals into the lives of reporter Dan Groves and detective Adam Breen, in a way which they do not expect.

An MP, heavily supportive of family values and tight morals, dies by his own hand, driven to take this step by a blackmailer who has evidence of his hypocrisy. He dies to save his family from the revelations that he spent the night with a young high class call girl, not much older than his own daughter. This information is to be revealed as part of a series of damning exposés from the 'Judgement Book'.

Several others receive threats that parts of their lives that they would prefer to keep silent about will be made public. There appears to be no motive to blackmail for money, just the satisfaction of revealing the truth. The blackmail notes, however, indicate that they contain clues which, if solved by a deadline, will uncover the hiding place of the diary and allow the Judgement Book to be silenced.

Once again Dan Groves, with his abilities in riddle solving, is brought in to help the police and support Adam in dealing with the media fallout which this case brings. As they work together it becomes evident that they too are in the Judgement Book and their careers could be on the line if they do not find it. They have both in their ways bent rules to get results and knowing that they now feature in the diary, heightens the threat and makes the solution more urgent and personal.