Nothing is as it seems at first sight...
High school student Geneva was attempted murdered in the library. The professional killer may have failed the first time, but no one doubts that he will try again. Wheelchair-bound CSI Lincoln Rhyme takes on the investigation with his partner Amelia Sachs as his eyes and hands. The clues gathered, led by the twelfth tarot card depicting the Hanged Man, lead Rhyme to believe that the key to solving the mystery lies in the more than 100-year-old story of former slave Charles Singleton.
The man in question, who played a prominent role in the civil rights movement in the 19th century but was later arrested for theft and disgraced, is the ancestor of the assaulted student, who is writing a school paper about him. Rhyme and Sachs have just two days to find the answers to a series of questions if they want to save the girl's life. What did Charles really do once upon a time? What secrets did he leave to his descendants? Has Geneva been able to uncover something she must die for?
