In her prime, Marcella successfully managed to work in the emergency police department and investigate crimes. She is completely absorbed by the divorce process.
The constant conflict with the ex-spouse and the stress depleted her body and brought it to extremes. Added to this is the fact that her daughter goes to boarding school to study and this distance is also painful for her. The main character has a job assignment to somehow distract her from her unbearable situation. She is entrusted with the investigation of a series of related murders.
In the process, Marcella realizes that these murders are somehow related to past murders that she could not uncover.