In the Atchafalaya Swamps, a decades-old skeleton has surfaced. At least, that's what the big movie star Elrod Sykes claims. Detective Dave Robicheaux initially dismisses the story, doubting whether Sykes, known for his alcoholism, has actually found a human skeleton. However, Robicheaux begins to ponder: 35 years ago, he witnessed a cold-blooded murder of a Black man in the swamps. The murderer was never identified, and the body was never found. Robicheaux decides to reopen the old case. A lead takes him directly to a school friend. Tenacious and honest: that's Detective Dave Robicheaux. The Vietnam veteran with a strong sense of justice investigates in the sultry atmosphere of the South.