Mystery writer Harper Simone has been asked for her help in unraveling an embezzlement scheme at a hotel in Glen Allen, Virginia. What she discovers is just the tip of the iceberg. Meanwhile, someone is murdering young women and leaving their gruesome remains from Richmond to the Shenandoah Valley. Harper's friend, state Medical Examiner, Dr. Emmalee Grayson is helping police with the investigation. Terror sets in when she's stalked by the leader of the Mexican cartel her estranged husband represents. In a scheme to supply the hotel with illegally documented workers, the plot thickens as the hotel's housekeeping manager leaves the door open for the same cartel. As the financial intrigue escalates, police realize they're now looking for a serial killer. Emmalee is caught in the cross-hairs of revenge against the new man in her life, and is abducted. With no leads and time running out, Harper must find her friend before she becomes the next victim.