Set in post 9/11 Manhattan, Lutz's gritty psychological thriller finds NYPD homicide detectives Rica Lopez and Ben Stack on the hunt for a vengeful serial killer whose modus operandi includes binding and burning his prey in their high-rise co-ops. The only clue they have to go on is that the Torcher has an apparent penchant for wealthy victims, so they start at square one and investigate all of the known arsonists in the city. In the end, Rica and Stack prove to be no match for the Torcher, who manages to stay several steps ahead of them until the very end, but their lack of leads doesn't make this book any less compelling. Lutz's details concerning police procedure, fire-fighting techniques and FDNY policy ring true, and his clever use of flashbacks draws the reader deep into the killer's troubled psyche. The novel's primary weaknesses include the tenuous romantic link between Ben and Rica, frequent point-of-view shifts and an overwhelming parade of possible suspects ranging from an avaricious real-estate magnate and her aging male escort to a lesbian mayoral campaign manager. Unlike many authors in the genre, however, Lutz manages to present a fully realized villain who simultaneously inspires the reader's sympathy and revulsion. 

Devastated by the murder of their loved ones, former NYPD detective Ezekiel Cooper and Cara Callahan hunt down the Night Caller, but Cara's ploy to change her life to resemble her dead sister's might make her the next victim.

The successful and happy world of David and Molly Jones is thrown into turmoil by the emergence of Deirdre Grocci, an erotically obsessed woman from David's past who will stop at nothing to get him back.