Detective Chief Superintendent Jane Tennison investigates a murder that has all of the earmarks of a killer, George Marlow, she put away some time ago. Marlow has always maintained his innocence but Jane concludes that it must be a copycat killer, especially after she learns that the details of the Marlow killings were detailed in a book. The DCI on the case, Tom Mitchell, thinks that they should re-open the cases for which Marlow was convicted and consider the possibility that an error was made but Jane flatly refuses. As the killings continue - the second victim is a 16 year-old girl - pressure mount and Jane's intransigence forces Detective Chief Superintendent Mike Kernan to take her off the case. Jane will not be tied down however and continues to investigate the case on her own, getting her into further trouble with her superiors. The presence of gardenia scented perfume on the victims gives her the vital clue she needs to solve the mystery and identify the killer.