A loving, churchgoing grandmother is found stabbed to death in her apartment, leaving Joe Kenda to wonder what sort of monster could do such a thing. Then When Kenda investigates the mysterious death of a successful dentist, the case gets personal.

When a soon-to-be grandmother doesn't come home from work, her daughter knows something terrible must have happened and reports her missing. As the investigation unfolds, Lt. Joe Kenda realizes they could be dealing with a fledgling serial killer.