In downtown Manhattan an underground charnel house containing the bones of dozes of murder victims is discovered. Research reveals that a serial killer was at work in New Yorks notorious Five Points neighbourhood in the 1880s, bent on prolonging his by any means. When a newspaper story on the old murders appears to ignite a new series of horrifyingly similar killings, panic overtakes New York City. Now, FBI agent Pendergast, journalist Bill Smithback and archaeologist Nora Kelly join forces to find a vicious before they become the next victims.