Three years of madness. Cunning, methodical, and elusive, a serial sniper hits a new city every July 24th. Everett, Washington, was first, then Tempe, Arizona. In year three, he brought his terror to Brighton, Colorado. Different cities - same pattern: first a doctor is shot, then a lawyer, a judge, and finally the lead homicide detective. Twelve victims and no evidence, except for the bullet casings mailed to the police chief in each city. A single thumbprint on each casing belongs to Billy Ray Jackson, a criminal from Nashville, who hasn't been seen since before the first murder.

When the sniper hits Plano, Texas, to begin his fourth shooting season, Homicide Detectives Greg Rush and Rick Chinbroski team with the FBI to hunt for the killer. But after the FBI's faulty investigative tactics force Rush to strike out on his own, he does so, unaware that his independent investigation plays right into the shooter's hands.

Despite being hunted by police agencies from around the country, no one understands that Plano is the shooter's last stop and that Plano's top homicide team was the target all along.