The first of the REBUS programmes introduces the Scottish Detective Inspector John Rebus as he untangles the various strands of the interwoven web of criminal intrigues from Leith, Edinburgh to Aberdeen and Glasgow and points between. A serial killer of young women of the past, known as 'The Preacher' appears to have a copycat murderer dubbed 'The Disciple', who is repeating the modus operandi. But is it 'The Preacher' who has returned to continue his work of death? Or it is truly another serial killer at work?

Intermingled with the workings of the CID Edinburgh to solve these problems, Rebus is pulled off the case to pursue a strange death of what appears to be unintentional suicide. This strand of the web takes Rebus through more suicides, murders, drug trafficking, money laundering, exposure of dirty cops and questionable liasons between a couple of the suspects.

The stressed-out Rebus manages to reach the centre of the web and skillfully gets the tangles sorted out in this fast-paced presentation.