Lincoln Rhyme (Denzel Washington) is a New York detective who is good at rhetoric and also one of the top criminal psychologists in the country. The sharp eyes and sensitive nose of Lincoln Rhyme, as well as the legendary stories from his law enforcement experiences, have become materials for best-selling books by many writers. But in his most recent mission, he sustained fatal injuries and must rest in bed. He has lost sensation in his arms and legs, with only a small part of him still able to move.