A savage killer. A silenced witness. A driven prosecutor who refuses to back down.

Life is good for Assistant DA Jessie Black. She just brought another murder trial to a successful conclusion. Her reputation is growing as a top prosecutor in Philadelphia. And she's engaged to a strong, handsome man she loves. Now it's time to step back, plan her wedding, and look forward to a bright future.

But when a young man is brutally butchered in his own home, the courtroom calls to her. Especially when the police are desperate for help. Hal and Kristina Nolan, a clever husband-and-wife team of defense attorneys, have filed motions to block key evidence and keep a critical witness off the stand. Jessie knows she needs to go to trial and beat them at their own game. Because if she fails, their client, a remorseless human monster, will stroll out of the courthouse a free man.