Fallen former New Zealand detective constable Gideon Cooper has trouble keeping his mouth shut, his ass sober, and his pants zipped. The last person he needs for a partner is Maori detective John Winks, who believes that only a Maori detective can solve a crime in the Maori community. But Cooper needs the money. So when a body is found in the New Zealand swamp and the Department calls Cooper in on the case, he agrees. Murder, deception, and politics are about to keep Cooper and Winks knee-deep in muck. The pukeko have found a way to survive in the bogs. Can this partnership do the same?