The Cold Case team is forced to enlist the help of a psychotic serial killer named Thomas Rice, AKA "the Gambler" (because he left playing cards at the scenes of his murders). The one woman who escaped death at his hands, the cool and poised Dr Clare Delaney, gets a dreadful reminder of her past ordeal and a fearful shock when a playing card is flung at her car windscreen as she sets off to make a house call on a wet, windy, dark night.

The team look again at the Gambler's crimes, prompted by Boyd's unshakeable belief that Rice had claimed other, hitherto undiscovered victims.Boyd - who has personal links to the case - and Grace decide to use detective constable Amelia Silver to lure a confession from Rice.