When Elsbeth takes a tour of famous New York crime scenes she is left with nagging questions about a legendary Mafia slaying in Little Italy, and about the owner of the family restaurant where it happened, Pupetta Del Ponte. Also, Judge Crawford's grudge against Elsbeth causes a roadblock in the investigation
While investigating the mysterious death of a college admissions officer, Elsbeth finds herself fencing with Lawrence Grey, an independent educational consultant who promises an Ivy League future to high-paying clients and their painfully average kids. The case also causes Elsbeth and Teddy to question how well she prepared him for the real world.
Elsbeth is thrown into the world of television after the showrunner of a long-running police procedural is brutally murdered in his office, and although it appears to be the act of a disgruntled fan, she begins to suspect the show's longtime star Regina Coburn, who yearns for artistic fulfillment. Meanwhile, Judge Crawford continues to be a thorn in Elsbeth's side.
When a former child star turned party girl Mac wakes up on Halloween after a wild night on the town with no recollection of her whereabouts and afraid she may have committed murder, Elsbeth and the team retrace her steps to find the truth. Meanwhile, Captain Wagner must address low morale at the precinct.
When a womanizing finance executive is found stabbed to death after a night at the opera, Elsbeth suspects an obsessed opera lover was driven to murder because of a ringing cell phone. Meanwhile, Elsbeth, Captain Wagner and Kaya must adjust to changes in the precinct as the consequences of Noonan's wrongdoing continue to loom.