A brutal murder in Savannah, two more in Charleston, another three in Charlotte, all have two things in common, body organs missing and a mystic symbol over the victim's neatly sutured wounds. Charlotte's Chief of Police and psychiatric consultant Davis Morton, lure forensic psychologist Nick Riley from his lecture circuit to assist in finding the killer. Assisted by homicide detectives Caleb Barlow and Ed Robinson, Nick bounces between Savannah, Charleston and Charlotte seeking and following clues. Smelling a major scoop, newswoman Lane McBride bull noses her way into the investigation. The stronger the scent, the more reckless she becomes in her search for a story. What she finds is more than she bargained for. Haunted by his failure to find the killer when the first victim surfaced in Savannah, Nick now has five more failures to torment him. It becomes even more personal when the wife of his best friend becomes a victim. Her death, along with the unwelcomed involvement of Lane and SBI agent Mike Reynolds, only make Nick's job more difficult. The cryptic, labyrinthine mind is a fanciful playground filled with breath taking imagery and rides for which few dare buy a ticket.