Dalgliesh returns to face murder, greed, corruption, and a serial killer on the loose in the most difficult and personal case of his career. The story is set in St Anselm's, a select Anglican theological college on a desolate stretch of Britain's coastline. When the body of one of the students is found on the shore, smothered by a fall of sand, his wealthy father demands that Scotland Yard re-examine the verdict of accidental death.

Commander Dalgliesh agrees to pay a visit, expecting no more than a nostalgic return to old haunts and a straightforward examination of the evidence given at the inquest. He finds himself embroiled in one of the most horrific and puzzling cases of his career. The college's future is at stake: external pressure to close it is mounting. The atmosphere bristles with tension. No one seems entirety innocent. Each suspect is haunted by his own demons. Intrigue, conflict and dangerous secrets emerge as college is torn apart by a sacrilegious and horrifying murder

Death in Holy Orders has all the qualities that distinguish a P.D. James story: the sensitive evocation of place; the complex and credible mystery; the respect for forensic detail, and the tension that never flags. Stunning location filming, an outstanding cast, and knife-edge suspense combine for this adaptation of a classic detective story with a twist.