At a star-studded opening night for the Royal Academy's celebration of renowned artist Max Bruce, someone is hiding a dark secret. As the night reaches its climax and Max addresses his admirers, the occasion takes a shocking turn when a protester runs from the crowd and sprays the artist with blue paint. Max collapses and it soon turns out that the paint was laced with cyanide. Someone has been plotting to kill him. All evidence points to the protestor - and newly qualified barrister Adam Green is assigned the impossible task of their defence. But could there be others who wanted Max dead?