When divorced book editor and sometime author, Lauren Sedgeway, moves from the Arizona desert to a small town in Montana, the strong-willed woman falls in love with the breathtaking locale and a simpler way of life. She is welcomed by everyone, including her soon-to-be-best friend, Maggie Banks and her Montana Highway Patrol husband, Charlie. His friend, Jared Martin, a cold case investigator, meets Lauren and the two start a passionate affair. But her next door neighbor, Cal Morgan, has been a puzzle from the start. His incredible good looks are at first a distraction for Lauren, but as she gets to know him better she senses that underneath that gorgeous exterior hides something sinister. Cal's past is filled with an abusive mother, a shocking murder, and a will to control all women. When Lauren is unexpectedly drawn into his dysfunctional world, she is confronted with kidnapping, ruthless killers and a mental breakdown. Jared is determined to find her after she is forced to write him a Dear John letter, quit a job she loves and then disappear. When a woman's body is found, Jared uncovers the truth about Cal and realizes Lauren has been taken by him. When she is finally rescued, her damaged psyche needs time to heal, but once again she is drawn into another killer's circle.