Each episode begins with the discovery of a body and follows the investigation as it unfolds. The team use all the resources at their disposal from the latest forensic techniques, victimology, criminal psychology as well as their own sharp wits, to deliver on their duty to the public and to catch the killers. The series provides a contemporary take on the murder genre and delivers a strong sense of what a murder investigation is really like. From the second series, extended episodes allow the on-screen development of the complex relationships between the four main characters - DI Trevor Hands, DS Rosie MacManus, DC Eva Sharpe and DCI Anita Wishart - as they deal with the stresses and strains of working in this highly-charged environment.