A young British businessman is sent to Ukraine to help formulate a strategy for a company near Kyiv which is owned by the London-based group he works for. He encounters corruption and gangs, and the effects of the civil war in the east between government forces and Russian-backed militants, as well as falling in love. There is an explosion in the factory. He has to work out who has caused it and why, at the same time trying to save the business. This leads to narrow escapes from death and to fear at a level he has never felt before. His experiences greatly expand the repertoire of his emotions and change the direction of his life.