A year after rescuing Catherine Martin from the horror of Buffalo Bill’s basement, FBI Agent Clarice Starling gets an urgent assignment from Catherine’s mother, Attorney General Ruth Martin, to join the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (VICAP) in the investigation of three serial killings.

Clarice is drugged and confined to a hospital bed by a serial killer in the medical profession, causing her to experience intense hallucinations.

Sidelined because of her harrowing ordeal with Marilyn Felker, Clarice goes to Ruth Martin to be reinstated and gets roped into having dinner at the Martin residence.

Catherine Martin escapes to Carneys Point, N.J., to confront Buffalo Bill’s mother, Lila Gumb. When Ruth recruits Krendler and ViCAP to track her down, Clarice volunteers to be the one to find Catherine before she commits a vile act and becomes a monster herself. Also, Julia continues to assist the ViCAP team’s investigation despite the huge personal risk.