When the daughter of a prominent Detroit businessman is murdered, stoic homicide detective George Hofmann must try to find the killer. He relies on his long-time partner, Christopher Garvin and a young policeman, Eddie Grimes. As the investigation proceeds, Grimes meets and falls in love with the mysterious Rachel Deming. While sorting through the clues in the case, Hofmann, Garvin, and Grimes discover they are searching for more than just a killer. Even when they arrest a seemingly-guilty suspect, the enigmatic Art Vide, nothing is certain. The three men find they are on a quest in what remains of the Motor City, a struggle to find meaning in a world devolved into chaos.