In 1960s New York, Walter Stackhouse, an architect with literary aspirations, finds himself entranced by the real-life case of an unsolved killing. He becomes increasingly obsessed with the murder of a woman and the case’s prime suspect, Kimmel, a bookstore owner who seems suspiciously unperturbed by his wife's death. Walter's own marriage to his mentally unstable wife, Clara, is deteriorating rapidly. Clara's erratic behavior and his growing attraction to a beautiful singer named Ellie heighten his inner turmoil. As Walter's fascination with Kimmel intensifies, he starts drawing parallels between Kimmel's situation and his own troubled life.

Walter's obsession takes him deeper into the dark corners of the murder investigation, straining his sanity and putting him under the scrutiny of a dogged detective named Lawrence Corby. Corby's relentless pursuit of the truth brings Walter's worst fears to light, entwining him in a web of lies and suspicion. As the line between reality and Walter’s macabre imagination blurs, he becomes ensnared in a dangerous game of cat and mouse, leading towards consequences that could irrevocably destroy his life and those around him. The escalating tension raises questions about guilt, innocence, and the murky waters of human morality.