dɪtˈɛktɪv ɪnspˈɛktɚ dʒˈɑːn ɹᵻbjˈuːz fˈaɪndz ðə bˈɑːdi əvən ˈoʊvɚdˌoʊst dɹˈʌɡ ˈædɪkt ɪn ɐn ˈɛdɪnbʌɹə skwˈɑːt, lˈeɪd ˈaʊt kɹˈɔslˈaɪk ɔnðə flˈoːɹ, bᵻtwˌiːn tˈuː bˈɜːnddˌaʊn kˈændəlz, wɪð ɐ fˈaɪvpˈɔɪntᵻd stˈɑːɹ pˈeɪntᵻd ɔnðə wˈɔːl əbˈʌv.
Detective Inspector John Rebus finds the body of an overdosed drug addict in an Edinburgh squat, laid out cross-like on the floor, between two burned-down candles, with a five-pointed star painted on the wall above.