In 1973 Jane Tennison joins the police as a probationer, encountering predictable sexism, notably from hectoring Sergeant Harris. House to house inquiries following a young woman's murder lead Jane to a second meeting with elderly Renee Bentley whom she helped after a mugging, and her aggressive son John. though neither can give her any helpful information. The victim is identified as prostitute Julie Ann Collins, whose boyfriend Eddie Phillips becomes a prime suspect and Jane joins DI Len Bradfield in telling the parents. At the pathologist's request Jane discovers evidence suggesting John Bentley's guilt. Written by don @ minifie-1

Bradfield and Jane get drunk together as he tells her about an early case which initially went wrong and they share a kiss but instantly regret it and next day he is abrupt with her. Eddie is still on the run but the police establish that Julie-Ann was last seen getting into a red Jaguar car. This exonerates Bentley but he and his drug-addicted brother David are planning something else, master-minded from prison by their jail-bird father Clifford and bent warder Whiteley. At Julie-Ann's funeral Jane makes a discovery, leading to an apology from Bradfield and a search of Julie-Ann's parents' house, which does not look good for her father George. Written by don @ minifie-1

George Collins and his wife Mary admit that they locked Julie Ann in her room to wean her off drugs and that Mary fought with her but swear that she left their house alive. A phone number in Julie Ann's bag leads the police to her drug dealer Terrence O'Duncie. whom an enraged Sergeant Gibbs savagely attacks in Jane's presence. Bradfield requests her to keep quiet about it whilst telling her he is aware that they are the subject of gossip at the police station. Clifford Bentley leaves prison though David refuses to attend his homecoming party and Clifford is furious to find that the spoils he had hidden from a previous robbery are missing. A fresh job is proposed but postponed when David, nursing an old grievance against his brother, fails to show up but it is carried out next day. Written by don @ minifie-1

Eddie's corpse is dragged from the river and with his last being seen at O'Duncie's flat O'Duncie is arrested but Bradfield is worried about Gibbs' violent attack on him. When O'Duncie's girlfriend claims she saw the assault Jane is under pressure to lie for Gibbs - which she does, winning her colleagues' approbation. However when her mother disapproves of a late night visit from Bradfield she moves into a police hostel, where she has sex with him. Meanwhile the Bentleys press on with tunnelling into the bank despite David's unreliability but eccentric radio ham Ashley Brennan puts Jane onto them. Written by don @ minifie-1

David's mother Renee admits to hiding Clifford's money but is perturbed that David knew Julie Ann far better than he admits. Jane plays Ashlley Brennan's tape of the Bentleys plotting to rob the bank next door to Silas Manato's café, and police suspicions are confirmed when a nervous Silas comes to the station to give them the date of the heist. Bradfield and his team, including Jane, catch John Bentley red-handed as he blows open the safe door but all are caught in the blast. Written by don @ minifie-1

Not having entered the bank David escapes the explosion and goes home where Renee gives him the money and tells him to run, before she is arrested. The blast claims casualties from both cops and robbers but Jane, though devastated by events, finds a link between the Bentleys and Julie Ann and joins in the hunt for David. She tracks him down but soon finds herself facing a gun and witnessing another killing before the mystery of Julie Ann's death is solved. Written by don @ minifie-1