He takes his victims' lives and leaves behind mysterious pieces of a bizarre puzzle. The only person who may be able to make sense of the serial killer's deranged plan is Lincoln Rhyme (Denzel Washington), a one-time top homicide investigator. After a tragic accident changes his life forever, Rhyme can only watch as other cops bungle the case...until he teams up with a young rookie, Amelia Donaghy (Angelina Jolie), who bravely becomes his eyes and ears and searches out the clues that help them solve the case.

But as the killer senses the cops closing in, Rhyme realizes that he and his partner are on the trail of a vicious, sadistic murderer who will stop at nothing on his deadly mission. At any moment Rhyme and Amelia could become his next targets - and their first case could become their last.