dɪtˈɛktɪv ɪnspˈɛktɚ dʒˈɑːn ɹᵻbjˈuːz ɪz sˌɪmpəθˈɛɾɪk tə ðɪ ˌɛmpˈiːz pɹˈɑːbləmz, ænd ˈɪntɚvjˌuːz ɐ mˈɛmbɚɹ ʌvðə dʒˈæks sˈoʊʃəl sˈɜːkəl, ˈændɹuː mˈæk mˈɪlən, hˌuː ɪz lˈɑːkt ˌʌp ɪn ɐ sˌaɪkɪˈætɹɪk hˈɑːspɪɾəl ˈæftɚ mˈɜːdɚɹɪŋ hɪz wˈaɪf mˈɛni jˈɪɹz bᵻfˈoːɹ.
Detective Inspector John Rebus is sympathetic to the MP's problems, and interviews a member of the Jacks' social circle, Andrew MacMillan, who is locked up in a psychiatric hospital after murdering his wife many years before.