The provincial town of Ensk is shaken by a series of murders, frightening in their cruelty. It has been established that the killer is a loner, clearly a maniac, distinguished by sophisticated sadism. His murders turn into a terrible ritual, and it is unknown how many more people he must kill to quench his thirst for blood. The local police are running wild in search of the criminal, because he is cunning and elusive, and his actions are unpredictable and devoid of apparent logic. But you can’t hesitate either. To assist in the investigation, senior detective police agent Roman Muromtsev, who has experience in investigating serial murders, arrives from St. Petersburg. A tough game begins between the detective and the criminal, the winner of which is not fully known.