Helsinki, March 1953. An unusually long and cold winter, everywhere frozen sea, ice-covered lakes and rivers.In a port city flooded with refugees, who cares if a young woman goes missing?An up-and-coming inspector who views this as an opportunity to advance his career. A heartbroken PI with a score to settle. They have yet to discover one thing: the most dangerous lies are those we tell ourselves.It all begins when Nellie, a prostitute working in a high-end brothel is found floating upside down in Helsinki Harbour.Not exactly a high priority case for the Helsinki police, so homicide chief Jokela passes the job to his former colleague Hella.It's beginning to look like a serial killer is at work when Elena, another lady of the night, narrowly escapes being driven into the harbour by her 19-year-old john.Problem was he had handcuffed her in the car. And to add further excitement to Hella's life, the madam is soon found dead in the garden outside the brothel.