Jane has, for once, put work behind her and is living on a house boat where she has just finished writing a book. Visited by an old friend, Abe Levin, he asks her to assess Matthew Viney, an ex-patient accused of murdering his parents. Reluctantly, Jane returns to the big city, intent on spending just a few days on the case. As usual, things don't go as planned. Matthew's brother, Daniel, has recurring dreams where he is the murderer. This is impossible as he wasn't even on the scene - or was he?

Jane is preparing to be bridesmaid at her friend's Greek wedding and together with having a worrying throat problem, she is working on a case where three women have been strangled. Psychic, Eric Washburn, tells the police that the killer will strike again. Initially sceptical, Jane discovers that Washburn senses her throat problems and warns Jane to take great care. He 'sees' her covered in blood. After a failed attempt to trap the killer, it is up to Jane to goad him into killing again.

Told in retrospect, Jane is receiving councilling from her analyst after having killed someone. It is Christmas, Jane is alone, feeling vunerable, stressed, suffering from panic attacks, drinking a little too much and to cap it all, is called in to help investigate the case of a mass murderer who has shot the customers in a country diner. There are few survivors who provide little in the way of clues. One man, Ray Harvey, the local garage mechanic, is their best hope, but he is a reformed alcoholic, who has fallen off the wagon as a result of the shooting. Detective Eric Ringer works with Jane and falls for her. On New Year's Eve, Eric arrives at Jane's apartment, finding her somewhat under the influence of drink. They end up in bed. Afterwards, Jane is at her lowest ebb. She takes Eric's gun and puts it in her mouth - echoing her father's suicide. Shaking her out of her depression is a call from Ray asking for her assistance.