Charlie Walker has escaped from police custody and is the object of a massive police manhunt. Andy just happens to be in the area and spends the night in a local pub when his car breaks down. The pub is owned by Walker's parents-in-law but he was convicted of murdering their daughter so they don't want much of anything to do with him. When one of the pub's barmaids, Sally Craig, is found mauled to death, Dalziel, now joined by Pascoe and DS Milligan, investigate. Sally was having a fling with a local dog breeder whose wife had recently told her to stay away from her husband but she was also the key witness against Walker at his trial.
—garykmcd