The Killing Type

Andrew arrives in the town of Knosting after he has been fired from his job at a big-city university, and a series of murders start happening soon after. He decides to apply his research skills to investigating these in order to find the killer and to write a book about the case. Though still recovering from what he perceives as his poor treatment by the administration at the university, he continues with his investigation.

The murders persist, with the killer defying the serial pattern by dispatching his victims in various methods, instead of sticking to a single one. Andrew is unnerved when he receives an email from him, saying that his book will be unsuccessful and the killer will get away. During his research in the library, Andrew meets Tony, a quirky waitress with an interest in murder. The emails and murders still persist, and at first Andrew does not consider Tony to be a suspect. The citizens of the town are very upset as the murders add up and the police are not able to find even a suspect. The newspaper headlines scream for the killer to stop and for the police to do a better job. Andrew still regrets his failure to get published and tenured while at the university, but he stays focused on his investigation.