They were best friends, driven by a shared vision to rule the world of virtual reality games. Their newest invention, developed to transport the player into a fantastical virtual world, is about to be launched. But suddenly, Bart, the brains behind it all, is found brutally killed - defeated by his own game. Their close-knit group is torn apart. Who could have engineered such a devastating virtual death?

Even Eve Dallas, New York City's most cunning investigator, is thrown. But as she peels back layers of secrets, revenge and misplaced allegiances, she realises the depth of the killer's master plan. And she knows his game is far from over . . .