Detective Inspector Jo Shaw is bored, desk-bound, and absolutely not supposed to answer the phone call that sends her to a body in an empty house. Thrown in at the deep end after an injury that almost killed her, she's determined to prove she's fit to work. And while a case full of unclear motives and multiple suspects isn't quite what the doctor ordered, being back in a relationship with her favorite doctor certainly won't hurt.

When the investigation takes a chilling turn and the Serious Crime Team struggles to connect the dots, Jo asks Isla Munro to help her follow the slenderest of leads. It's a lead that will take her away from Moorside's deprived streets and into the lives of the rich and privileged. But these people will do anything to preserve their own interests, and Jo is putting herself?and those closest to her?directly in their line of fire.