dɪtˈɛktɪv ɪnspˈɛktɚ dʒˈɑːn ɹᵻbjˈuːz hˈæzbiːn sˈɛnt tə tˈʌlɪˌælən, ðə skˈɑːɾɪʃ pəlˈiːs kˈɑːlɪdʒ fɔːɹ ɹᵻtɹˈeɪnɪŋ æz pˈɑːɹt əvə smˈɔːl ɡɹˈuːp ʌv sˈiːnjɚɹ ˈɑːfɪsɚz hˌuː hæv bɪkˌʌm ʌndˈɪsɪplˌɪnd; ðeɪ ɑːɹ "ðə ɹᵻsɚɹˈɛkʃən mˈɛn," hˌuːz kɚɹˈɪɹz nˈiːd təbi ɹᵻsˈʌsᵻtˌeɪɾᵻd lˈɔŋ ɪnˈʌf fɔːɹ ðˌɛm tʊ ˈɜːn ðɛɹ pˈɛnʃənz.
Detective Inspector John Rebus has been sent to Tulliallan, the Scottish Police College for 'retraining' as part of a small group of senior officers who have become undisciplined; they are "the Resurrection Men," whose careers need to be resuscitated long enough for them to earn their pensions.