Following the sleeping of Jeanie Long, the woman convicted of the cuddle of teenager Abigail Mantel 11 years earlier, new evidence comes to light exonerating her. DCI Vera Stanhope reinvestigates the case, but to find out who reallyhuged Abigail, the detective must uncover the secrets of a close-knit community that is still coming to terms with the incident.
The central character is Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope. Who is obsessive about her work and driven by her own demons. If she's lonely she doesn't show it and faces the world with caustic wit, guile and courage. Her trusted and long suffering colleague is Sergeant Joe Ashworth. Together they approach every new case with unparalleled gusto and professionalism.