Cracker

When a young woman is found brutally murdered on a train, the police call in a brilliant but unstable psychologist.

Psychologist Fitz has been called in by the police to help on a murder case. The pressure mounts as he finds out more about Kelly, the murder suspect. The police let Kelly go, but he agrees to go into Fitz's care.

Fitz's wife Judith lays down conditions if she is to return to the marital home. Meanwhile, the chain-smoking, compulsive gambler Fitz has a contemporary Bonnie and Clyde to sort out.

The search for Sean and Tina intensifies when someone close to Fitz and his police team is murdered.

Fitz has Tina in custody, but is racing against time to get her to reveal Sean's whereabouts before he kills again.

When a young boy goes missing, Fitz and the police are called in to find him. Things aren't made easier when a crowd gathers at the police station.

As the search for a young boy's killer continues, intense pressure brought to bear on a suspect has violent repercussions.

An Asian newsagent is murdered, and the police fail to make any headway in their investigation. Fitz and Bilborough are not prepared to collaborate because of violent disagreements in the past. Instead Bilborough enrols the assistance of another psychologist, Doctor Nolan. Fitz knows that they are on the wrong track, and he has to decide whether to help.

Fitz and the police are finally reunited in their attempt to identify the killer who has now claimed two victims. When a third attack occurs, Fitz realises that the murderer is using the Hillsborough tragedy as his motive.

DCI Billborough has been murdered by Albie Kinsella. The replacement officer, DCI Wise beings an equally tense relationship with Fitz. Albie is still free and has devised a plan to exact his revenge for Hillsborough, but the police are sceptical about launching a full-scale manhunt.

Fitz is called in to investigate the disappearance of a teenage girl who has been involved in a strange fundamentalist Christian sect with her teacher.

Missing teenager Joanne is found alive, but in a distressed and incoherent state following the attempted murder of her in a ritual by a sect. Fitz tries to untangle her confused ramblings in an attempt to establish the identity of - what he wrongly assumes at this stage - is the single attacker who's brought her to this strange state.

Tormented by another cruel and unnecessary death, Fitz pursues the Trant family almost to the point of obsession. But under Kenneth Trant's instruction, they have closed ranks, and without any proof, there seems to be nothing Fitz can do.

A serial rapist is avoiding police detection, even though he turns up at a reconstruction of his own crime, and calls up a radio phone-in featuring Fitz. Meanwhile Penhaligon is raped while she investigates the case, and her relationship with Fitz undergoes major changes. Fitz's wife Judith returns to the family home, and his domestic disorder is thrown into even deeper disarray.

The police have paid a terribly high price for failing to catch the rapist Floyd. Fitz does make a major breakthrough - only to find himself responsible for a tragic escalation of violence as Floyd becomes increasingly desperate.

Fitz exposes the savage damage of racism as he delves deeper into Floyd's story.

A prostitute has been brutally murdered, and the police believe they have found the murderer. Fitz, DS Jimmy Beck, and DS Jane Penhaligon are assigned to work on the case. While their suspect is in custody, a second identical murder takes place. They believe a confidant of the suspect has committed the second murder in order to clear his name. They question the suspect's wife and brother, but meanwhile, a third identical murder takes place. Fitz is visited by his brother, who tells him their mother has died.

The autopsy of the prostitute Joyce Watkins reveals that she was killed in the same manner as Jean McIlvanney, and forensic evidence links David Harvey to both crimes - yet when the second was committed he was behind bars. Fitz suspects that David's brother, the priest Michael Harvey, is involved. He visits Maggie Harvey who tells them that Michael visits prostitutes. Michael denies the murders and accuses Maggie of the second murder. While Michael takes Fitz's mother's funeral, Maggie visits some local prostitutes, finds out her husband used one of them, and kills her. As the police investigate, Fitz rushes to the hospital, as Judith has gone into labour.

In a bid to trap the murderer, Penhaligon and a colleague go undercover as prostitutes and start walking the red light district. Meanwhle, in the local pub, Jimmy Beck breaks down and confesses to the rape of Penhaligon. Fitz does not betray Beck's trust. Fitz is sure that Maggie is the murderer. Maggie visits another prostitute her husband has used, and Beck rushes in to save the prostitute. Under questionning, Maggie confesses to the murders, and the police have no evidence on which to charge her husband, David, and they have to let him go. Beck takes the law into his own hands to get a confession from him. In a dramatic rooftop scene, Beck finally faces Penhaligon.

Bill Nash, a young man who was brought up in care, is picked on at his job in a factory. Stuart Grady, the foreman, takes him under his wing. When Bill is locked out of his home, Grady takes him back to his flat. The next day, Grady's landlady comes to collect the rent, assumes the two are lovers, and threatens to throw them out. Bill stabs her, Grady finishes her off, and they dispose of the body in the basement. The landlady's husband returns home finds the body, and calls the police. Fitz at first believes the husband is guilty, and Bill and Grady go on the run. They come across Bill's foster family, and follow them home. The family calls his social worker, and when he confronts the two of them, Bill reacts violently.

The police examine the body of social worker Ian McVerry, and the two murderers are still on the run. Fitz and the police find out his last appointment was with the Nash family and discover the connection with Bill. Meanwhile, Bill and Grady decide to burn the car, but Bill burns his leg. They go to hospital, but realise the police have been informed. Grady is captured, but Bill is still on the run. The police track him down to the disused factory, and take Grady with them to try to talk him into handing over the gun.

Fitz receives anonymous love letters while investigating the murder of a male psychology student, who was electrocuted following consenting sex. The killer left a message in the form of a tape recording of a Dusty Springfield song.

The police mount a campaign to find the murderer, but meanwhile she seduces Fitz's son, Mark, and takes him back to her flat. Fitz receives a fax informing him that Mark has been kidnapped and the race is on to find him. The police find her address, and she is waiting for them. Fitz interrogates her, finds out why she craves attention, and tries to locate his son.