As Morse sees in the new year at an opera house in Venice, a murder in Oxford puts Thursday on a quest to find the man responsible. Returning home, Morse makes a new acquaintance, and old friendships show signs of strain.

A clash between two rival gangs results in tragedy. Initial investigations lead Morse and Thursday to the door of a familiar face. Tragedy strikes a second time when a restaurant’s customer disappears.

When Morse is called to investigate what at first appears to be a freak accident at a college, he uncovers a potential link between a series of peculiar incidents across Oxford.