Washington, D.C. Detective Alex Cross is called to solve the case when a Black Lives Matter activist is killed in cold blood.

Emir Goodspeed's murder spreads like wildfire through D.C., catching others in its burn, while D.C.-powerbroker Ed Ramsey seduces his next victim: an art aficionado named Shannon Witmer.

Cross raids a home connected to Emir's murder. The suspect escapes, but leaves behind a piece of evidence so unique, it limits the list of suspects to an elite D.C. few.

With Cross hot on his heels, Ed Ramsey sets up a new locale to perform his kills, as the Cross family continues to be tormented by a mysterious someone connected to Deirdre Nolan.