DCI Banks

When a victim of a frenzied attack is found in the woods with his head caved in, initially the team wonders if it's a random attack or related to the location - a shrine to a local girl who recently committed suicide there. Banks, however, has a theory of his own.

Kat Richards' suicide leaves behind grieving parents Tamsin and Steve - but of more import is the note Kat left confessing to Damon Horsley's murder. However, all is not what it seems when the post mortem suggests Kat's death isn't a simple suicide - could someone else have been involved?

What starts out as a missing person's case soon escalates into a kidnap and ransom - but when the perpetrators cleverly stay one step ahead of the police, it soon becomes clear that they aren't average criminals.

Having recently returned a kidnap victim safe and sound, the team is thrown on to the back foot when he is found murdered. The way the victim died suggests a local protection gang is to blame, but nailing the hard-nosed woman they believe is behind it proves challenging - witnesses know the price they will pay for talking to the police.

Banks and the team begin the painful job of finding out exactly who was responsible for the tragedy that has changed all their lives forever, while dealing with the grief it has caused.

Having been thrust into a dark place from where it looks like there is no coming back, Banks' mission to solve Annie's murder is made all the harder by the fact he has been taken off the case and sent on gardening leave - but that won't stop him. While his old team struggle, Banks operates for the first time on the other side of the law to secure the all-important break-through.