Bruges chief inspector Pieter Van In, grumpy head of detectives, is even less friendly as his bank is about to foreclosure on his house due to systematic mortgage payment delays. New substitute Hannelore Martens soon flirts with him, while taking an instant dislike to politically connected, ambitious veteran magistrate Joris Creytens, who invokes his experience to wave routine forensics and close cases without proper investigation. The city is hit by a wave of violent crimes, including an apparent terrorist bomb at a statue, which the mayor orders police chief Roger De Kee to give top priority, especially the theory it may link to a never solved Walloon extremist bomb decades ago.
