A sharp detective with a messy life, DCI Vera Stanhope patrols her “patch” of northeast England, pursuing the truth in cases of murder, kidnapping, and blackmail. Vera is obsessive about her work and faces the world with caustic wit, guile and courage.

A 12-year-old boy leaves his grandmother and goes to work the land with the men. While working, they are disturbed by the voices of intruders. They send the boy to investigate, and he discovers that the old woman is summoning the spirits of the dead in the forest.

Tizangara, Mozambique. After the peace agreement. A mystery. UN soldiers exploding. An investigation is begun and Massimo is appointed to solve the mystery. Joaquim will have to translate, not only the words but the facts, in order for him to understand.

A African man lives a difficult life, as so many Africans do. As usual, he catches two buses to go to work, but something unusual happens.