Detective Andy Dalziel is an idiosyncratic copper with a penetrating wit and questionable personal habits. Inspector Peter Pascoe is his cultured sidekick - a thoughtful "New Man" with a degree in Social Sciences, a caring attitude and a sharp brain. When they threw together these contrasting characters, few thought their talents would gel and that, sharing a commitment to justice, they would forge an impressive crime-solving partnership - and a tentative friendship.