Dr. Mathew Brewster's suicide takes a particular twist when the pathologist determines that he had also been bound and gagged. The Brewsters, both medical doctors, ran a private clinic and their son John, who lived at home, is doctoral candidate in philosophy. One possible suspect is Michael Steppings who threatened the Brewsters and their nurse after his daughter suffered severe side-effects and is now in a vegetative state from a botched operation two years previously. The forensics lab determines that one of Steppings's threatening letters was altered and Morse learns that Brewster may at one time been having an affair, so he must consider another possible motive for murder. Written by garykmcd

When John Peter Barrie escapes from a maximum security mental institution, the police assign all available resources to finding him. Barrie is a dangerous sex offender known as the Devil's Disciple. Morse is assisted by Barrie's psychiatrist, Dr. Esther Martin. Barrie contacts Morse and they begin a deadly game of cat and mouse. When Morse refuses to play the game Barrie's way, the madman kidnaps a woman and demands that Dr. Martin be held for a future exchange. As the investigation proceeds, Morse believes Barrie has accomplices in the area but after a local cultist is killed, he realizes he has been looking in wrong direction all along. Written by garykmcd