It is the year 1965 and Detective Sergeant Earp of the West Australian Police Force's CIB Branch finds himself banished to a dingy office, shuffling papers during the day and drinking to excess during the night.
Earp's fall from grace came to fruition on account of an unfaithful partner and his practice of not doing things by the book when carrying out investigations. His downward slide culminated when his wife abandoned him for the allure of a younger man.
Despondency was on the verge of capturing control of his soul when the superintendent in charge of the branch came up with a proposal he couldn't refuse.
The offer saw him promoted to the rank of Detective Inspector; together with the post of OIC of the Armadale's CIB Office. The superintendent made no bones of the matter that no-one else had applied or been ready to accept the position.