Newly qualified doctor Scott Clarkson is found tortured and murdered in an empty warehouse. Two London detectives, Moretti and Casey,the latter an old friend of Burke,arrive in Glasgow whilst investigating a similar case though Jackie and Robbie do not warm to them. Scott's girlfriend Lucy,another medic,is arrested for manufacturing recreational drugs and admits that Scott also made and sold Ecstasy to pay his student fees. Lucy is arrested and commits suicide in custody after a visit from the London policemen. Were Jackie and Robbie right to be suspicious of the visitors motives?

When union leader for shipworkers Will Ramsey is shot dead it looks to be an open and shut case that it is a corporate killing, but the real motivation and implications lay closer to home.

When an Iranian refugee is found burnt to death, it appears at first to be a racially motivated crime. It soon becomes clear to DCI Burke and the rest of the team that there is another motive and when a drug dealer enters the frame, the case is set to be extremely complex for all concerned. First appearance of the supporting character, DC Mita Rahim.