Hathaway has been promoted to inspector after an extended break, and Lewis is enjoying retired life until he's asked to team up with his old colleague again.
A brain surgeon is murdered. Hathaway, now a Detective Inspector, is the investigating officer. Lewis is retired and living with Dr Hobson but is coaxed out of retirement by Chief Superintendent Innocent to help Hathaway on the case.
After Lewis returns to his old job, he, Hathaway and DS Maddox are swept up in another murder investigation when an American classics student is killed.
Lewis' reputation is jeopardized when the very first case that he solved as a DI is reopened for appeal and new murders are committed with the original weapon.
