Heavy rain falls on Lafferton. As the rain water slowly drains away, a shallow grave - and a skeleton - are revealed. It doesn't take long to identify the remains as those of missing teenager, Harriet Lowther, who was last seen sixteen years ago.

'Serrailler, Hill's brilliant detective, is the central character in the great writer's crime fiction novels' CAMILLA, DUCHESS OF CORNWALL

Heavy rain falls on Lafferton. As the rain water slowly drains away, a shallow grave - and a skeleton - are revealed.

It doesn't take long to identify the remains as those of missing teenager, Harriet Lowther, who was last seen sixteen years ago.

But a cold case isn't a priority: if Detective Inspector Simon Serrailler is to solve the case, he will have to do it alone.