London is shocked by the terrible death of Philip Longman. The former Lord Chief Justice has been crucified, and Chief Inspector Joella Levy is tasked with finding his killer. Fifty years of litigation means many potential enemies. Only an identical murder offers a ray of hope: what binds these victims who suffered such a painful end? Meanwhile, reporter Sarah Truman begins her own investigation, unaware that the trail will lead her to her own front door and fiance Michael Devlin.