James Malloy has had his share of troubles, beginning with his father's abandonment of his family, the fragile mental health of his wayward brother, Sean-and the sudden, violent end to Malloy's dreams of a major league baseball career. When he meets and falls in love with Katie Walsh, the skies open. But not for long. Shortly after the two become engaged, Katie disappears. Many months pass before he learns-in the most shattering way possible-what happened to her. James Malloy's ensuring hunt for Katie's murderer-and the chance discovery of his missing brother's shocking, long-kept secret-will lead Malloy to the remote mountain cabin of an artist named Helen Sommers and entangle him in a private obsession that spans time and distance and puts them both in the path of a vicious, demented killer.