年轻有为的程霄被提拔为开城市主管城市建设和金融工作的副市长，程霄对前途充满信心。妻子吴桂珍希望程霄做一个“不吃请，不弄权，不收钱，不近色”的好市长，程霄答应了。程霄第一天上任视察工作时遇到遭遇小偷纠缠的周子颖，上前解围，从此程霄的生活发生了改变。周子颖的姐夫陆德明从程霄手中争取到了“临湖”工程开发权，并对其行贿。不久，程霄收受巨额贿赂东窗事发。在看守所内，程霄认罪伏法，向组织悔罪，并写下“自白书”，彻底交待了自己的犯罪轨迹。Six months have passed since Dr. Ogden moved to Buffalo and Det. Murdoch is constantly a loggerheads with Dr. Francis, her replacement. While Insp. Brackenreid thinks highly of Francis, who was recruited from Scotland Yard, Murdoch finds him stubborn and unimaginative. He also seems to be in no rush to help Murdoch with his latest case where human body body parts were discovered on a riverbank encased in cement. A homeless man living in the woods nearby is questioned and released and Murdoch corresponds with Dr. Ogden who offers him valuable advice in her letters. He also gets help from a retired detective, Malcolm Lamb. Murdoch connects his current investigation a rape and murder that had occurred many years before.
