Afterherbittersweetsuccessinseriesone,KarenhasbeenpromotedtoDetectiveInspectorandseeminglygiventheauthorityshehaslongbeenfightingfor.Justasshe’sgettingintotheswingofherpowerfulnewrole,sheisassignedaninfamousunsolvedcasethatwillputherunderintensescrutiny;fromherboss,fromthemedia,andultimately,fromsinisterforcesthatwouldratherthepaststayedinthepast.The1984caseofCatrionaandAdamGranthasconfoundedinvestigatorsandintriguedthepubliclikenoother.Catriona,thecharmingyoungheiresstoavastoilfortune,andhertwoyearoldsonAdam,werebrutallykidnappedatgunpointoutsideafishandchipshopinFife.Theransomnotesthatfollowedstirredupanuncontrollablepressstorm,butwhentheculpritsfellsilent,thepolicefaltered,andCatrionaandAdamwereneverseenagain.Now,aman’sbodyhasbeendiscovered,withindisputablelinkstotheoriginalkidnap.Withthefirstpieceofevidenceindecades,KarenmustassembleanunbeatableteamalongsidehersincereandlovablesidekickDCJason‘Mint’andthebrilliant–butromanticallycomplicated–DSPhilParhatka.WiththeinternationalrenownofthekidnapandtheconstantpressurefromCatriona’sfather,SirBroderickGrant,theteamtakeonthebiggestchallengeoftheircareerstodate.AsKarendelvesdeeperintowhathappenedintheautumnof1984,politicalgrudgesandpainfulsecretsrevealthemselves,anditsoonbecomesclear…thepastisfarfromdead.