Alex Cross finds himself tracking The Butcher whose killings are bloody using tools that he used in his father's butcher
shop. He lives a normal family life in a normal neighborhood until he goes to kill someone, usually a woman he picks up. After abusing or raping her he scares the "holy begeesus' out of her by showing her photos of previous gruesome
killings so she will not describe him to authorities. That makes it difficult for Alex Cross and his partner to find him...until he goes to kill Alex. Meanwhile, Alex Cross becomes awaare that the horrible
psychopath is his wife's killer. (that story is in a previous book by Patterson whose primary character in his books is Alelx Cross.