In the streets of New York City, the Slasher chooses his victim—and makes his move. As he wraps his fingers around the girl's pretty throat, his power increases. As he carves into her skin, his words become flesh. As he arranges her lifeless body in a loving tableau, his fantasies demand more violent sacrifices. . . At first, NYPD detectives suspect a jealous boyfriend is behind their latest investigation. But psychologist-turned-criminal-profiler Lee Campbell senses something darker, even ritualistic, about the murder. More chilling, he's convinced he's witnessing the genesis of a full-blown serial killer. But time is running out. A new victim has been chosen. Campbell must search the most terrifying recesses of the human mind—and his own past—before the screaming starts again.