Alan Gregory is finally beginning to feel settled, hopeful that a long period of upheaval in his private life is behind him. He refocuses his energy on his clinical psychology practice, where a beguiling new patient is challenging his values. The interlude of calm doesn't last, of course: Alan's dear friend Diane is showing signs of a long-simmering emotional collapse, and Alan's greatest fear, the exposure of his most dangerous secret, has become something he can't ignore. With his vulnerability mounting daily, Alan begins to fear that his mesmerizing new patient may be the catalyst that can cause everything he treasures, his marriage, family, friendship, and future to implode. As the authorities close in, the story hurtles toward a conclusion that will set the stage for the most unexpected of outcomes: the final act of the Alan Gregory saga.