The body of teacher Beth Jacobson lies undisturbed among leaf litter and shrubs until two bird watchers stumble upon her decomposed remains at the Pocosin Mission Ruins in Shenandoah National Park.
Suffocation is the cause of death, but the strange claw-like marks on her jacket raise questions. The Investigative Services Branch is called in, and Special Agent Kelsey Holloway takes the lead. Still reeling from a tragic incident at Yosemite, Kelsey is plagued by nightmares and flashbacks.
As the case draws national attention, every lead she follows only deepens the mystery, revealing dark secrets in the quiet Virginia community. Complicating matters, the local sheriff, a pushy misogynist with no business in this federal matter, elbows his way into her domain, hoping to fuel his reelection bid. As Kelsey seeks the sadistic murderer, she’s unaware that the predator who killed Beth Jacobson may already have Kelsey in his sights.
