"London, 19th Century. Harriet Hunt has a special relationship with the garden outside her house. A year after the mysterious disappearance of her father, a cruel man who left her buried in his debts, the garden is her only solace. But a woman alone is vulnerable and as debt collectors and law enforcement swoops in, ready to take advantage of her dire situation, Harriet has no choice but to marry for her own protection. Soon, she finds herself attached...

Spring 1972 brings with it a new start for Morse, having taken time out to deal with the drink. His return to CID coincides with a gruesome discovery in a college garden. The investigation leads him and Thursday to a celebrated orchestra and when a second tragedy hits, they uncover a web of secrets at the company's core.