DCI Jane Tennison has been passed over time and again to lead a murder investigation, so when one of her fellow DCIs has a heart attack just before he's ready to charge their prime suspect, Jane sees her chance to lead a murder investigation. But the murder squad she takes over is hostile to her, the men upstairs are eager to pull the plug on her investigation, her personal relationships suffer from her obsession with work, and the prime suspect remains elusive. Jane has her work cut out for her as she and her team work their way through computer data trails, legwork, intuitive leaps, chases, arrests, and confessions to find the killer. Detective Chief Inspector Jane Tennison is in charge of the investigation to uncover a serial rapist/murderer. Even before Jane takes the case, there is a prime suspect. If he is guilty, can enough admissible evidence be gathered to convict him? If he is innocent, who is committing these crimes? Her job is complicated by the hostility of her staff towards a woman boss. In particular, she crosses swords with Sergeant Bill Otley, whose hostility threatens to cross over the line to obstruction. Jane also must deal with how her growing obsession with the case is damaging her relationship with her boyfriend.