Bailey, Thornton and Cryer were eighties entrepreneurs until it was found that they had stolen millions of pounds from their investors. All three are serving sentences in the same prison where Cryer is found dead in his cell. It looks like a heart attack but the pathologist's report quickly points to murder. Morse and Lewis go behind bars to investigate but must tread carefully with the prison governor.

Sergeant Lewis gets to display his cricketing skills as a sub with the Clarets XI old boys' team when they gather for their annual match at Oxford, but Morse is called in when one of the team is murdered.

When an elderly Don apparently commits suicide, Inspector Morse is called in and finds he has a personal involvement in the case. The wife of the dead man is the woman Morse was engaged to be married to years ago.

The Greek community in Oxford closes ranks when a Greek restaurant chef is found dead and a baby goes missing. Morse feels more at home with Oxford's other Greek connection - the classical scholars - and surprisingly discovers there could be a link between the two worlds.

Following the Civil War of 1685, two heroes - Lord Fairfax and Oliver Cromwell - emerge as triumphant, if conflicting, leaders of England. Fairfax secretly plans to return the King to power, defying his friend and the people of England.