A mysterious wooden cross appears on a hilltop, towering over the craggy Baltic Sea coastline. The body of a young man hangs from the cross, nailed by the hands and feet. Detective Johannes Hannes Niehaus arrives at the scene, hoping to make quick work of this grisly case and prove himself to his new partner. But this is not a simple incident of religious fanaticism. The killer's motive proves elusive, and the tracks are well covered. As Hannes digs for clues, more people find themselves in danger. But are the victims innocent, or have their past behaviors instigated the crimes? Hannes works closely with colleagues and a new love interest as he rushes to find the link between the fallen man's untimely demise and a series of new offenses. With misleading evidence and an eclectic cast of suspects, Hannes leaves no stone unturned-but can he protect others from this merciless killer?