Police Chief Jesse Stone has a problem—actually, several problems: dead bodies keep turning up. A man takes his dog out for a run on the beach, only to be discovered later with two holes in his chest. A woman drives to the mall to purchase groceries and her body is soon found crumpled in a heap behind her loaded shopping cart. A commuter takes a shortcut home from the train but never makes it back alive.

Investigating a serial killer in an affluent suburban town is difficult, and with the added pressures from the town selectmen and media, the heat is turning up on Jesse. The harder these outside forces push against him, the more Jesse retreats into himself. Despite all the odds, he's convinced it is up to him alone to stop the killings.