It begins with an abandoned bird's nest; a nest made of human hair. Who is the victim? A trail of grisly clues leads Lt. Joe Gunther to discover the victim's identity: a teenaged girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Searching for the truth, the investigation leads from the basement dives of Brattleboro to the mansions of its leading citizens. But the key to it all lies locked in the mind of an old World War II veteran. Now Gunther must find a way to open up the ragman's memory before a killer strikes again.