One afternoon, a young woman is found dead and covered with snow behind a nursery school in a Stockholm suburb. She is the fourth victim in a short time with the same characteristics: a young mother, stabbed from behind. In the editorial offices of Evening Post they sense a serial killer, but crime reporter Annika dismisses it as wild fantasies. As the murder spree continues and speculation of a serial killer arises also in the Police Department, Annika is dragged into a violent hostage situation that shakes both Europe and East Africa.