The novel begins with a single scream that rips across Fifth Avenue from Central Park and into the bedroom and the psyche of Tasha Fontaine, proprietor of a tony fashion boutique. In the park, the police find a serial killer's latest victim: Christine Whittendorf, a woman whom Tasha had met briefly, and who bore a striking resemblance to her. To Detective Bernard Behrens, Tasha is much more than a witness for Case #H9073; she represents his only hope of nailing a butcher who has already claimed a dozen victims. Tasha herself seeks the killer to allay her own terrifying fascination with the dead woman.