After being dismissed from the Flying Squad, Tennison finds herself in a station in Belgravia. Once an area of London’s most notorious crimes, it is now known for shoplifting and petty crimes. When DS Spencer wishes for a juicy crime to alleviate the tedium, he gets what he wished for with the vicious slaying of Charles Foxley, a theatrical agent. At a time when female officers weren’t fully accepted, Tennison demonstrates her desire to move forward, privately taking lessons in firearms to prepare for the future. She is a determined character that La Plante has been developing beautifully.