An unstoppable force of nature in a hat and sensible shoes, Hetty decides to try tracking down the long-lost son of her best friend's husband. A taste of success encourages her to go looking for missing persons as a professional sleuth.

Detective Superintendent Jane Tennison finds herself searching for Sallie Sturdy, a fourteen-year-old girl presumed murdered. Facing the hospitalization of her father, descending deeper into alcoholism, and resisting pressure to retire quietly, Tennison vows to bring Sallie's killer to justice before ending her career. She forges a surprising friendship with Penny Philips, Sallie's best friend.

"Tennison seizes the opportunity to head a murder investigation--something she should have done long ago, had she not been passed over by her male superiors time and again. With a suspect already identified and her own team openly hostile, she uncovers errors and conflicting facts that point to a coverup within the force."--Container.