At 14, Glenn already knows about crime, casual violence and despair. She and her sister live with their mother on a decaying housing estate in Leeds. Glenn is still at school, but her real life is with the King Girls. They steal, harass their teacher and terrorize the weaker kids. Nearby, classmate Gail is going back to school after her beloved father's death. She becomes the perfect target.

Set during the 1960s in the fictional North Yorkshire village of Aidensfield, this enduringly popular series interweaves crime and medical storylines.