the squadroom at 515 on new years morning looked much as it did on any other day but an exceptionally heinous crime was already sending a wave of outrage through even the veteran cops of the 87th precinct a wealthy couple returning home from new years festivities discovered their baby and the infants teenage sitter murdered parents themselves detectives carella and meyer resolve to bring in the perpetrator at any cost meanwhile gang warfare is overtaking the citys streets threatening its very foundation a sinister song of death and destruction echoes through the 87th and it isnt auld lang syne