When Sylvia Wilcox takes a leave of absence from the police force to investigate the untimely death of her husband, another mystery-the murder of several students from the local colleges-grabs her attention. The murder of the young men indicates that a serial killer may be roaming the backwoods of southeastern Michigan. Amid Sylvia's grief and search for answers surrounding the loss of her husband, she finds herself simultaneously involved in a dangerous case that threatens to reveal the college town's dark secrets.