Mike Bodine's sister is killed by a bomb in Belfast at the height of the Irish troubles. But what's an all-American girl from LA doing in Belfast? And who had reason to kill her? Searching for answers in Ireland, Mike finds himself up against the sort of violence he's met only once before, when he was a U.S. Air Force pilot in Bosnia. But this time it gets personal: someone wants him dead. Only two people seem willing to help Mike: Chief Hanson, a laid-back cop in LA, and Penny Hamilton, a sensual stripper in Belfast. With their help, Mike digs behind a web of lies and evasion until he discovers the truth. Along the way, he finds himself infatuated with Penny to the point where it becomes a major problem. They're great in bed together, but she's still a small-time stripper.