After having sex with a prostitute, David Harvey kills her when he finds he is unable to pay and she threatens to tell his wife. The case becomes complicated however when a second prostitute is killed and the forensic evidence indicates that it was the same killer. Only problem is that Harvey was in custody at the time of the second killing. Fitz is convinced that Harvey killed the first woman and that an accomplice did the second to cast doubt on his guilt. DS Jimmy Beck returns to work after four months sick leave, still haunted by his role in DI Bilborough’s death and continuing to deny that he raped Jane Penhaligon. Fitz's mother dies and he has to deal with the guilt of being a less than attentive son.