Parallel strands in Siglufjörður and Reykjavik as police deputy Ari Thor tries to uncover what happened in isolated Hedinsfjörður 50 years ago when two couples moved there and a baby was born. In Reykjavik ambitious Ísrún, a reporter in television news, interviews Ari about an infectious disease outbreak in Siglufjörður that has caused the town to be locked down and isolated and gets interested in the old case and offers to help.

Meanwhile the son of a senior retired politician is found dead by a hit and run - suspected murder, drug related. The son was also childhood friends with the prime minister who came to lead his party when the senior man stepped down for "personal reasons".

Across town a young couple have their baby abducted from the pushchair outside a cafe - a massive search ensues which ultimately ties together the threads. Except for the Hedinsfjörður mystery which turns out to have a strange (for 1955) element.

All four elements (Hedinsfjörður,  Siglufjörður, Isrun, and the child abduction) turn on an emotional relationship issue.