Flanders, June 1938, and as the threat of another war in Europe grows ever stronger, Rijkswacht Kapitein Walter Mertens is fighting his own battles. The Great War veteran, struggling with depression, and a growing reliance on alcohol, is transferred from Bruges to Ostend for disciplinary reasons - it is his last chance. In his new job, the suspicious Mertens reopens a recently closed murder case and uncovers evidence of police corruption. However, his investigations are abruptly put on hold when three more murders occur during the same winter evening. Against a backdrop of Franco Belgian/Flemish animosity, and the worrying political developments in Nazi Germany, the pursuit of the prime suspect unfolds. "A really enjoyable tense thriller with a wonderful feel of the time and tensions in Flanders 1938."