When the body of a teenage boy is found in a reservoir in a remote rural town, DCI Vera Stanhope must scrutinise the fractured relationships of the surrounding community to find his killer.

Quiet life in suburbia takes a dark turn when a woman is discovered lying dead in her back garden. DCI Stanhope realises that the neighbours aren't all that they seem. Buried secrets must be unearthed to catch the killer of murder victim and mother of two, Alison Glenn. Vera and Aiden try to uncover the kind of woman Alison was by looking to her local community. But they are forced to expand their enquiry when Alison's long lost family come out of the woodwork and suspicions begin to mount. Vera must endeavour to identify which of the underlying conflicts in Alison's life have prompted the crime of passion that caused her death.

DCI Stanhope is called to the scene of a violent car crash. With her typically sharp skills of observation, Vera quickly realises that the crash was not accidental and that another driver tried to kill victim, Faye Wakeland. When she dies in hospital shortly after, Vera suspects that Faye's murder might be connected to the recent suicide of a local man. But, Vera and Aiden find it difficult to get to the truth when everyone that they encounter seem to be protecting a secret. Vera must continue to delve into the lives of the people that Faye lived amongst, as well as the links she had with her past. Joined by her faithful team including DC Kenny Lockhart, as well as new recruit DC Jac Williams, Vera attempts to find the missing link that will lead to Faye's killer.

When charred remains are discovered in an abattoir furnace, DCI Vera Stanhope is called to investigate the horrific circumstances and uncover the mystery that led to the murder.