Violent crime is unusual in 1960s Montgomery, Illinois, a small industrial village just outside of Chicago. If something illegal occurs, the village's size limits the number of suspects police chief John Rively must consider.
When the murder of a nineteen-year-old girl rocks normally quiet Montgomery, Rively quickly realizes this isn't an ordinary case. Although a suspect was seen with the victim before her death, none of Montgomery's residents seem to know who he is. Even the reason for death is unclear.
As Rively and his deputy Makay investigate, a series of suspicious events strike the village, all pointing toward a clever and careful killer who delights in causing fear and unrest. Faced with frustration at every turn, Rively begins to doubt his own judgement.
A burgeoning relationship provides Rively with some relief from the pressure of the investigation, but that pleasure turns to fear when it becomes apparent the killer has been watching Rively closely and has his sights set on the police chief's romantic interest. Now, Rively finds himself personally involved in one of the most puzzling and murderous cases of his career. If he fails, he'll lose so much more than an arrest.