One Christmas Night opens at 3.08 a.m., Christmas Eve in Newbury Street, Norwich with a thief about to break into one of the houses: The story is told from the point of view of nine characters in the present over Christmas Eve and leading up to midday Christmas Day: Sisters Joanie and Tash Blake, recently bereaved Wendy Finch, pub landlady Sue Winters, well-off Cynthia Ellis, pub employee Irma Wozniak, divorced Craig Mullany and Frank Blake who took up with Craig’s ex wife Jen. The investigating officer is DC Lucy Crane. Two of the characters are care experienced, one of whom is a main character.