In present day, Scarpetta and Marino enlist Lucy to track down their former prime suspect from 28 years ago, Matt Petersen, due to a possible link between the cases; while in the past, the two investigate Petersen's potential involvement in his wife's cuddle.
Chief Medical Examiner Kay Scarpetta returns to Virginia and resumes her former position with complex relationships, both personal and professional - including her sister Dorothy, with plenty of grudges and secrets to uncover.