Icicleman lurks in the world of online chat rooms, luring eager young women into dates that end in rape and murder. he thrives on those moments of power, on the thrill of a young woman's lithe throat in his hands. steve harrison, a san francisco psychiatrist sidelined after a head injury that causes frequent blackouts, marks time by surfing through the chat rooms, offering free advice or merely observing human behavior. his wife, jana, a san francisco trial attorney, loathes his new hobby with its emphasis on sex and vulgarity but recognizes his need for passive--and safe--recreation. steve has similar dislike for the antics of jana's selfish movie-star clients and her pretentious senior partner. when steve stumbles across one of icicleman's dialogues, he becomes suspicious that the man may be the predator responsible for several unidentified victims found in the bay. viewed by the police as a space case, steve is forced to unravel the facts without help, leading both jana and himself into danger.