In downtown Manhattan, a gruesome discovery has just been made - an underground charnel house containing the bones of murder victims. Research reveals that a serial killer was at work in New York's notorious Five Points neighbourhood in the 1880's, bent on prolonging his lifespan by any means. When a newspaper story on the old murders appears to ignite a new series of horrifyingly similar killings, panic overtakes New York City. Now, FBI agent Pendergast, journalist Bill Smithback, and archaeologists Nora Kelly join forces to protect themselves from a vicious killer...before they become the next victims.