In 1827 London, Inspector John Marlott (Sean Bean) uncovers a grotesquely mutilated child's body along the Thames. Tasked by Home Secretary Sir Robert Peel to investigate discreetly, Marlott delves into a world of crime and morality, uncovering dark secrets that hint at sinister scientific experiments tied to the infamous Anatomy Act. As he navigates the murky waters of Victorian society, he grapples with the implications of life and death in a rapidly modernizing world.