Years ago, a young woman was beaten and raped while onlookers did nothing. Now those witnesses are becoming victims themselves. Baltimore homicide detective J. D. Fitzpatrick has seen a lot of horrific violence, both as a cop and during his deployment in Afghanistan, but nothing like the trail of tortured bodies that are turning up throughout the city. He's up against a brutal killer with a very personal vendetta, and now J. D. is beginning to suspect his medical examiner may be shielding some crucial evidence linked to the case. Assigned to the murder victims, forensic pathologist Dr. Lucy Trask is intrigued by J. D.'s compassion, but she isn't about to mix work with pleasure. Not while there's a ruthless killer on the loose. And definitely not while she's keeping a dark secret that could connect her to these vicious killings and put her next on the hit list.