Former chief medical examiner for the city of Chicago Dr William Palmer (Rutgar Hauer) is now a best-selling writer. 'Bone Daddy' his latest thriller is based on a series of grisly murders the pathologist once investigated. Re-told in graphic detail the horrific story has one added twist. In the book the murderer is tracked down and brought to justice... in truth the serial killer was never caught. When the author's agent fails to show at the book's press launch Palmer pays a visit to his hotel room and is stunned when all he finds is a severed finger - a calling card that tells him the psychopath who eluded him years before is back and ready to strike again.