Paul Novak's life as a crime novelist has never been better. He and his family have just settled in to a new house in a quiet Connecticut suburb that was bought with the proceeds from his latest book - a true-crime novel about Edward Gein - the inspiration for Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. Not one to refuse a publicity opportunity, Paul has even made a few guest appearances on a Chicago talk show - first as an expert on violent crime, then defending his work in a debate with a high spirited Reverend from Gein's home town.
Meanwhile, a horrendous killer is on the loose and leaving mutilated bodies of women behind and Paul Novak is not the only one who realizes that the killings bear a striking resemblance to Ed Gein's handy work. Could there be truth to the rumor that Ed left behind a child? Could this child have inherited his father's twisted taste for flesh?