He calls himself the Beijing Ripper. His victims are young, beautiful and viciously mutilated. Li Yan, the head of Beijing's serious crime squad, has been put in the spotlight. His bosses, the media, and the terror-stricken public are demanding a fast result. When American pathologist Margaret Campbell is invited to perform the autopsy on one of the victims, her results send shockwaves through the investigation. Then Li begins receiving personal letters from the killer, and his life and career start falling apart. The need to uncover the Ripper's identity becomes paramount if he is to save himself and his family from ruin.