While the city of Seville celebrates Holy Week, a successful restaurateur is bound, gagged and tortured to death. The crime scene suggests he was forced to watch a film as he suffered, but Chief Inspector Javier Falcón appears more interested in an old photograph of his father in the businessman's home. As the investigation progresses, the detective finds himself drawn to the victim's widow and prime suspect Consuelo, and discovers the truth about his family's involvement in the Spanish Civil War.

Falcon becomes convinced Consuelo is innocent and that the guilt lies elsewhere. After receiving a stream of diary excerpts from an anonymous source, the detective uncovers the existence of a cabal devised by his father - which also included the murder victim.

Falcón investigates a number of suicides among Seville's city high-flyers. Doubting the authenticity of the evidence, Falcon finds his life in danger when he discovers the dark secrets and lies that have played a part in the deaths.

As the Chief Inspector tries to uncover the dark secrets that are key to finding the truth behind the multiple suicides, his enemies resort to extreme measures to prevent the truth coming out. However, threats to his leadership and revelations from the past tip him over the edge as he seeks solace in ever-increasing drug use.