Afterherbittersweetsuccessinseriesone,KarenhasbeenpromotedtoDetectiveInspectorandseeminglygiventheauthorityshehaslongbeenfightingforJustasshe’sgettingintotheswingofherpowerfulnewrole,sheisassignedaninfamousunsolvedcasethatwillputherunderintensescrutiny;fromherboss,fromthemedia,andultimately,fromsinisterforcesthatwouldratherthepaststayedinthepast
　　The1984caseofCatrionaandAdamGranthasconfoundedinvestigatorsandintriguedthepubliclikenootherCatriona,thecharmingyoungheiresstoavastoilfortune,andhertwoyearoldsonAdam,werebrutallykidnappedatgunpointoutsideafishandchipshopinFifeTheransomnotesthatfollowedstirredupanuncontrollablepressstorm,butwhentheculpritsfellsilent,thepolicefaltered,andCatrionaandAdamwereneverseenagain
　　Now,aman’sbodyhasbeendiscovered,withindisputablelinkstotheoriginalkidnapWiththefirstpieceofevidenceindecades,KarenmustassembleanunbeatableteamalongsidehersincereandlovablesidekickDCJason‘Mint’andthebrilliant–butromanticallycomplicated–DSPhilParhatkaWiththeinternationalrenownofthekidnapandtheconstantpressurefromCatriona’sfather,SirBroderickGrant,theteamtakeonthebiggestchallengeoftheircareerstodateAsKarendelvesdeeperintowhathappenedintheautumnof1984,politicalgrudgesandpainfulsecretsrevealthemselves,anditsoonbecomesclear…thepastisfarfromdead