In 1799, Ichabod Crane, an eccentric and forward-thinking New York City police constable fascinated with forensic science and modern investigative methods, is sent to the small, gloomy village of Sleepy Hollow to investigate a series of brutal murders. The locals are gripped by fear, believing the killings to be the work of a headless apparition, the legendary Headless Horseman, a ghostly figure who rides at night and decapitates his victims. Crane, a skeptic who relies on rationalism, is unpersuaded by the supernatural explanations and is determined to uncover a human culprit behind the violence.

Upon arriving in Sleepy Hollow, Crane encounters a town steeped in superstition and terror. He meets Katrina Van Tassel, the beautiful and enigmatic daughter of the town's wealthiest family, who provides him with an ally in his quest for the truth. Despite resistance from the townsfolk and unsettling encounters that challenge his reliance on reason, Crane methodically delves into the mystery, uncovering a tangled web of family secrets, land disputes, and occult practices. His investigation forces him to confront his own fears while navigating the town's murky past, leading him ever closer to unraveling the motives and identity of the enigmatic horseman responsible for the reign of terror.