A mutilated conventioneer.A trail of bodies with the same grim signature.Gay men tortured before death.Homicide Detective Kendall Parker isn't sure he wants to return to the police force. His last case ended with the arrest of an innocent man for murder, and his long-time homicide partner was killed in the process. Still on leave from the APD, Parker has gotten sober, smoke-free, and is rebuilding a life alone.But, the arrival of a brazen killer cuts short Parker's sabbatical. His new homicide commander summons him to police headquarters with a direct plea from the mayor: go undercover for the FBI to flush out the predator. With the gay community under siege, Parker must prowl Atlanta's gay bars and late-night dance clubs as bait in hopes of luring the killer.Award-winning investigative journalist Calvin Slade is also on the trail. Aided by a hotshot young reporter, Slade soon discovers a shocking clue about the murders law enforcement has kept from the public. But, chasing the hottest story of his career may put him directly in the path the savage beast.