Set against the backdrop of iconic moments in British history - London's Brixton riots in 1985, the death of Princess Diana in 1997 and the present day - Life of Crime follows the life of an ambitious woman police officer as she progresses through London's Metropolitan Police, and the case that dominates her career. The drama begins in 1985 when Denise Woods is a newly qualified police constable. On a September morning, the body of a teenage girl is found in a narrow lane behind one of Brixton's nightclubs. The victim, Amy, has been strangled. Having met the teenager by chance the night before, Denise is determined to bring Amy's killer to justice.