dɪtˈɛktɪv ɪnspˈɛktɚ dʒˈɑːn ɹᵻbjˈuːz ænd fɹˈæŋk lˈɔːdɚdˌeɪl stˈɑːɹt ðə bˈʊk wɪð ɐ kˈɑːɹ tʃˈeɪs əkɹˌɑːs ˈɛdɪnbʌɹə tʊ ˌæpɹihˈɛnd kˈɪdnæpɚz, kˈʌlmᵻnˌeɪɾɪŋ wɪððə tˈuː jˈuːθs ðeɪ ɑːɹ tʃˈeɪsɪŋ θɹˈoʊɪŋ ðɛmsˈɛlvz ˈɔf ðə fˈɔːɹθ ɹˈoʊd bɹˈɪdʒ ænd ɪn ɹᵻbjˈuːz bˌiːɪŋ ˈɪndʒɚd ɪn ɐ kˈɑːɹ kɹˈæʃ.
Detective Inspector John Rebus and Frank Lauderdale start the book with a car chase across Edinburgh to apprehend kidnappers, culminating with the two youths they are chasing throwing themselves off the Forth Road Bridge and in Rebus being injured in a car crash.