The book is a detective story about an investigation into the murder of a woman whose decapitated body is found on a beach.

The novel takes place in Sierra County, California, primarily around the Silver Lake area.

The story begins with a man and woman visiting a section of the Silver River referred to as 'the Bend', apparently with the intention of engaging in a romantic tryst.

The next day, the woman's decapitated body is discovered by a young couple, Bass and his girlfriend Faye.

The pursuit of the killer leads to a complicated series of events involving Merton (a homosexual drug dealer who was seen running from the scene of the crime), the dead woman's husband, and a revenge scheme involving two of the main characters.