As the 1970s are drawing to a close, Queen Elizabeth and her family find themselves preoccupied with safeguarding the line of succession by securing an appropriate bride for Prince Charles, who is still unmarried at 30.

Biographer Margaret Lea travels to the isolated rural mansion of the famous writer Vida Winter, who asks her to write her biography. Although initially she is reluctant, as Vida is known for constantly distorting the facts of her life, Margaret soon becomes fascinated with the story of a dark childhood, a disturbing tale that leads her to finally confront the traumas of her own past.

Still haunted by the case involving the murder of 11-year-old Danny Latimer, DI Alec Hardy and DS Ellie Miller pick themselves up and continue their investigative work, all the while dealing with the far-reaching consequences of the earlier case.

The murder of a young boy in a small coastal town brings a media frenzy, which threatens to tear the community apart.