Murder and mayhem abound in Brokenwood, a charming New Zealand town whose denizens are prone to criminal impulses that belie their idyllic surroundings. A transplant from the big city, Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Shepherd (Neill Rea) has finally been accepted as a new resident in the tight-knit community. Together with his Brokenwood-born partner, Detective Kristin Sims (Fern Sutherland), and enthusiastic DC Sam Breen (Nic Sampson), they solve grisly crimes and uncover secrets long buried by the town's idiosyncratic inhabitants.