This series follows the life of Frank Elder, a former police officer from Nottingham who retires to the tranquil coastal town of Cornwall. Despite seeking a peaceful life, his past and a persistent drive for justice continually draw him into new investigations. The narratives blend compelling detective work with profound character studies and a reflective look at aging and legacy.
Following his wife's betrayal and his own retirement from the force, Detective Inspector Elder has fled as far as it is possible to go in England without running out of land. But he is haunted by the past and in particular by the unsolved disappearance of 16-year-old Susan Blacklock back in 1988.
La moglie lo ha tradito e lui ha lasciato la polizia. L'ispettore dell'Investigativa Frank Elder ha mollato tutto per rintanarsi nel posto più lontano che è riuscito a raggiungere, purché fosse ancora Inghilterra. Ma i fantasmi del passato lo perseguitano: soprattutto quello della sedicenne Susan Blacklock, scomparsa da molti anni. Anche se nella mente di Elder ci sono due nomi, marchiati a fuoco: Donald e McKiernan, arrestati un anno dopo la scomparsa di Susan per lo stupro e omicidio di un'altra ragazza. Ora uno dei due criminali viene rilasciato prima del termine e l'ex poliziotto decide di abbandonare il suo rifugio sicuro e malinconico per tornare sulla scena del delitto. Quando il delinquente infrange la libertà vigilata e un'altra ragazza viene trovata orribilmente uccisa, Elder si trova costretto a riprendere in mano la sua vita, e il suo lavoro. Ossessionato dai messaggi del killer, Elder combatte con i suoi demoni, mentre lui e la sua famiglia vengono trascinati inesorabilmente nel cuore nero del male.
When the take-down of a violent criminal goes badly wrong, something doesn't feel right to Detective Sergeant Maddy Birch, and her uneasiness is compounded by her belief that someone is following her home.
Called once again out of retirement when his ex-wife asks for his help in locating a friend's missing sister, former cop Frank Elder uncovers disturbing secrets about the woman's sexual life before discovering her dead at home.
When his estranged daughter Katherine appears on his doorstep, ex-Detective Frank Elder knows that something is wrong. Katherine has long been troubled, and Elder has always felt powerless to help her. But now she has begun to self-destruct. The breakdown of her affair with a controversial artist has sent her into a tailspin that culminates in murder. And as Elder struggles to protect his daughter and prove her innocence, the terrors of the past threaten them both once more...