- Felix McClure, an Oxford University professor, is stabbed to death in his college study. Not only was he an expert in his field but he was one of the University's key fund-raisers. The investigation focuses on Brooks, a one-time cleaner for McClure who quit his college job abruptly after a student, Mathew Rodway, jumpe…
- Henry Fallon, who is wheelchair bound and is suffering from a neurological disorder, apparently commits suicide and Morse has mixed feelings working on this case as he was once engaged to the dead man's wife, Susan Fallon. The body was found by his son-in-law Peter Rhodes, a local antiques dealer and the victim's wife …
- Steven Parnell, who was accused of murdering a number young girls the previous summer, is killed while in prison awaiting trial. Morse had not been involved in the case as he was on leave during most of that investigation. What piques Morse's interest is that one of the victims, Karen Anderson, was never found and it i…