This extraordinary novel pulsates with dramatic and evil incident, with tenderness and terror. It is the story of a man and a woman in love, but it also is also the chilling story of the killer who first brings the lovers together and later attempts to separate them with an unspeakable act of violence.

At twenty-nine, Hilary Thomas, a successful screenwriter, is still struggling to cope with the nightmarish memories of the abuse she suffered at the hands of her parents a long time ago.

Tony Clemenza is a police detective who dreams of earning a living as an artist. But he lacks faith in his talent and takes refuge in the fact that he is, at least, a good cop.

Bruno Frye is rich but unhappy, insecure. He lives in fear. He is afraid to sleep. He is terrified of the darkness because he thinks something is waiting for him in the night. And he's right. Frye is a killer, compelled to slaughter beautiful women. But there's a special dark place, filled with menacing whispers, where something hideous waits to kill Frye.

Some people think Hilary's report of Frye's first attack on her is a lie or the work of a fevered imagination. But Tony believes and tries to help her. During the investigation into Frye's background, Tony and Hilary fall in love, but their chances of living to enjoy each other are slim. Frye is a persistent, efficient killing machine. Nothing will stop him -- not even death. When it appears that Frye has even come back from the grave to get Hilary, she and Tony dig deeper into the killer's past, gradually uncovering a series of astonishing, blood-freezing secrets.