On a cold, snowy November day in Big Oak, Wisconsin, Ann Ranson's dogs drag home something bloody. In the height of hunting season, Ann assumes it's a deer part and goes out to get rid of it. Instead, she is shocked to discover it's the remains of a human foot!

Sheriff Lark Swenson, a former homicide detective from Chicago who recently moved to the country after his wife's death, begins to investigate. When a second body is found, the state police join in the case. State Detective Lacey Smith works very closely with Sheriff Swenson, and the two of them find themselves battling their mutual attraction, as well as hunting down a cold-blooded killer.

While the police try to find out who's been killing young female students from the university, someone starts shooting at Ann Ranson and the sheriff. Lark and Lacey need to find the killer before someone else winds up dead!