The world is in economic meltdown, but the mining town of Hopetoun, Western Australia, is booming. With the town's population exploding, it's easy enough to hide a crime - and a dirty past.Disgraced police-service golden boy DSC Cato Kwong is doing time investigating roadkill with the Stock Squad. But when the ocean throws up a human torso onto the shores of Hopetoun, Cato is called in from the cold.Cato faces powerful opposition in the town when his investigation lifts the lid on the exploitation of migrant workers. The stakes are raised higher when the Chinese whispers started by Cato disturb an even darker criminal mind.