Suspect

The chances of discovering the frenzied killer of Muriel Brown were remote by any standard. The twenty-seven year old had been raped and murdered in her own car. Fifteen years ago. Detective Superintendent Mark Pemberton's ambition was to solve that case before he retired; it was the only undetected murder on the books. But his determination suffered a setback when his special team of three detectives was replaced by one sick officer, Inspector Vic Hadley.

According to specialists, Hadley, on sick leave due to stress, needed some undemanding work to aid rehabilitation. The Muriel Brown case seemed ideal. But Hadley had shot and killed a man during an armed raid - there were allegations that Hadley had murdered him and that there had been a cover-up. Even the robbers claimed the dead man had not been with them but Hadley maintained he shot an armed robber to save a detective's life. The accusations and doubts had driven Hadley to his sick bed with stress.

As Hadley began his new duties, Pemberton needed to satisfy himself of Hadley's innocence. While investigating Hadley in the past, further deaths occurred; new evidence emerged about Hadley's actions at the shooting and forced Pemberton to re-evaluate his personal and professional attitude to colleagues and his law enforcement role. Pemberton is forced into an armed and dramatic conclusion.