Vancouver coroners, pathologists, and homicide detectives inhabit a murky world as they attempt to solve the mysteries behind the unnatural, accidental, or suspicious deaths committed in the city's back alleys and bedrooms. At times selfless, at times grudging, they all have agendas and histories, passion for their work, and ambition for their futures.

Charismatic, controversial, and mercurial Vancouver Coroner Dominic Da Vinci is the pivot around which this complex world spins.

As a spokesman for the dead, Da Vinci strives to give dignity to untimely death. For every issue he champions, there is the underlying knowledge of human frailty and a wry acknowledgment that his own personal and professional past is riddled with missteps.

As a former undercover narcotics cop, he understands the realities of the street and the compromises cops sometimes make. He also knows the limitations that surround those who cut, collect, and expose the last secrets of a life lived, and the insights they can offer into death.