凯伦看起来就是一位平常、也不够时髦的年轻女性。她不是一个圆滑或特立独行的警察，但她的敏捷和机智令人印象深刻。25年前，十几岁的酒吧女招待罗西·达夫被刺死，三名醉酒的学生发现了她的尸体。但尽管警方怀疑，这些男孩从未受到指控。因近期一个爆火的博客提到了这起案件，凯伦被警方任命重启对这起谋杀案的调查。凯伦决心揭开那起案件隐藏一切，但这么多年过去了，现在的调查能比以前知道的更多吗？

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.