Serial killer Justin Barker's reign of terror extends beyond the desolate neighborhood he's claimed as his ghost town to overshadow the law in the nearby town of New Heim. When he kidnaps yet another teenaged girl the police feign ignorance, expecting Melanie Grier to suffer the fate of countless others, but newbie Tom Macklin is determined to rescue the girl and take Barker out before he kills again. Barker is no easy target; possessing superhuman speed and strength, he's as powerful as he is smart. But what is his twisted fascination with the girl?Melanie lives day to day in fear, waiting for Barker to do his worst, trying to draw courage from lessons her father taught her. Even as she plots her escape and tries to stay on Barker's good side to survive, a twisted thought has sprouted in the deepest recesses of her mind. How can she feel anything but hatred for the monster holding her captive?