Dan Grant and Jayne Brett

Twenty-four-year-old Mary Kendricks is a vivacious young teacher living in the quiet Northern town of Highford, her beauty turning heads wherever she goes. But when she catches the eye of Robert Carter, initial flattery quickly turns dangerous. Wherever she goes, Carter is not far behind, and Mary soon becomes stifled by his attention, telling friends of her fears that he’s getting too close. And then Mary’s body is discovered, stabbed to death in her own bedroom. The case quickly garners the attention of the press, all baying for Carter’s blood.

One freezing December night, the body of young, vulnerable Lizzie Barnsley is found on the side of an isolated canal. When blood from her stiletto heel matches that on a wound on the head of Peter Box, police swiftly declare him the prime suspect in her murder. Criminal lawyer Dan Grant is called in to provide Peter Box’s legal defense, along with investigator Jayne Brett. They need answers from Box - but he’s not talking.

When London journalist Mark Roberts is found battered to death, the police quickly arrest petty thief Nick Connor. Criminal defense lawyer Dan Grant along with investigator Jayne Brett are called to represent him - but with bloody footprints and a stolen wallet linking him to the scene, this is one case they're unlikely to win. But then help comes from an unlikely source: the murder victim's mother says that Connor is innocent, begging Dan and Jayne to find the real perpetrator.