Patricia Campbell is an exemplary wife and mother. Her life is an endless routine of household chores and worries. And only the book club of Charleston mothers, in which they discuss stories about true crimes and thrillers about maniacs, makes Patricia feel alive.

But one day, out of the blue, she is attacked by a neighbor, and the charming nephew of the attacker comes to the rescue. His name is James Harris. Soon he becomes the darling of the whole block. Children adore him and many adults consider him their best friend. But something worries Patricia herself.

When teenagers begin to disappear in the city, and an elderly lady is eaten alive by rats, it becomes clear that something evil has come to Charleston. It will not stop, blood will definitely be shed, and many will drown in it.