Summoned to the office of her new Chief Constable, Harriet Martens does not expect to be greeted with the words 'Who killed the preacher?', and entrusted with an unsolved case dating back to the 1960s. The Imperial Hotel, scene of the brutal murder of the Boy Preacher over thirty years ago, is about to be demolished, and the Chief wants Harriet to take one last look at the scene.

Seven people had waited outside the ballroom where the Boy Preacher was to begin his sermon, shortly before he was found brutally strangled. Now, with the use of DNA, the suspects clothes are to be scientifically examined. The Chief Constable is intending to close this case once and for all.

As she waits for the DNA results, Harriet decides to interview the suspects and make her own mind up about the Boy's killer. However the case is not as simple as she expects, and the DNA results do not tally with Harriet's own mounting suspicions.

Soon the case is taking over her life and invading her sleep and the Hard Detective begins to worry that this time, she will not be able to give the Chief the answers he wants . . .