It is February, 1979, and economic chaos has led to widespread strikes across Britain. Jane Tennison, now a Detective Sergeant, has been posted to Peckham CID, one of London's toughest areas. As the rubbish on the streets begins to pile up, so does the murder count: two bodies in as many days. There are no suspects and the only link between the two victims is the location of the bodies. Three days later another murder occurs in the same area. With press headlines claiming police incompetence, Jane is under immense pressure to catch the killer - before they strike again...