'Where does this all leave us, sir?' 'Things are moving fast.' 'We're getting near the end, you mean?' 'We were always near the end . . .' For a year, the murder of Yvonne Harrison has baffled Thames Valley CID. But one man has yet to tackle the case - and it is just the sort of puzzle at which Chief Inspector Morse excels.

So why is he adamant that he will not lead the reinvestigation, despite two anonymous phone calls that hint at new evidence? And why, if he refuses to take on the case officially, does he seem to be carrying out his own private enquiries? When Lewis learns that Morse was once friendly with Yvonne Harrison, he begins to suspect that the man who has earnt his admiration, and exasperation, over so many years knows more about her death than he is letting on . . .