Detective Superintendent Sandra Pullman heads The Unsolved Crime and Open Case Quad (UCOS), cracking previously unsolved crimes from the past. Her team are three ex-policemen; Gerry Standing, Jack Halford and Brian Lane, who for various reasons all opted for early retirement. Brian enters The Trinity Clinic for treatment of his alcohol addiction, unearthing a new case in the process. The team also investigate a military cover-up, enter the not-so-glamorous world of films and look into the reappearance of a dead woman. Hanson rears his violent head once again and many family secrets are uncovered in the meat market at Smithfields. The squad's track record and reputation precede them, attracting cases from outside their jurisdiction. However, they still insist on rejecting modern policing methods, providing the old ways are the best.