In Sydney, a young Norwegian woman, Inger Holter, is brutally murdered. To help their Australian colleagues, the police of Oslo sends investigator Harry Hole. In Australia, Harry encounters plenty of unexpected surprises. There he will both find and lose good friends and his great love. And the search for a ruthless killer, one like the terrifying snake Bubbura from the tales of Australian aborigines, becomes a deeply personal matter for Harry and turns into a deadly clash with a mysterious, many-faced enemy.