Two Arab men are found murdered near downtown Houston, Texas, and detectives Ross Clayton and Leona Stillwell are sent to investigate. These aren't ordinary murders, however--the bodies are arranged to mirror a famous Impressionist painting, and the exactitude of the killing gives Clayton cause to be concerned. He suspects this killer isn't finished.

His suspicions turn out to be correct as more men end up dead and similarly arranged. Every victim is of Arab descent, and it's hard to deny the killer must have both some kind of racial vendetta and a love for Impressionist art. Clayton and his partner have no choice but to seek out an expert--Lund Corbel from the Houston Fine Arts Museum. He sets them on the right path, but their path gets crowded as the serial killer continues the spree.

Clayton has solved plenty of strange crimes before, but he's beginning to feel out of his depth, especially following the death of a fellow cop in pursuit of another investigation involving drugs, prostitution, and murder. Soon, two investigations collide, and the end won't be as pretty as a painting.