Detective Harry Hole, an alcoholic and unorthodox detective in Oslo, reluctantly takes on the case of a missing woman whose scarf is found wrapped around a mysterious snowman. Soon, Harry connects this disappearance to a series of cold case murders where women were brutally killed and beheaded, with snowmen eerily placed near the crime scenes. As he delves deeper, clues point towards a sinister serial killer who strikes during the first snow of winter and targets women with troubled pasts. Harry is joined by Katrine Bratt, a driven and resourceful new recruit, who has her own personal motives tied to the investigation.

Their pursuit of the killer takes them on a chilling journey through Oslo's wintry landscape as they discover more bodies and unravel a web of dark secrets and hidden connections. The investigation becomes a race against time as the killer grows bolder, leaving taunting clues for Harry. Trust is put to the test, and personal demons surface, blurring the lines between hunter and hunted. The detectives must navigate treacherous paths filled with deceit, betrayal, and double-crossing as they inch closer to unveiling the identity of the elusive murderer, waking up to their worst nightmares as the snow continues to fall.