After a nervous breakdown and the collapse of his family life, literature professor Jack Griffen is left adrift—until Hieronymus Beck, an eager exchange student and self-proclaimed fan, enters his life. But Jack’s curiosity turns to alarm when he discovers Hiero’s list: five detailed ways to commit a murder. Though Hiero claims it’s just research for a crime novel, Jack begins to question the truth. As he’s drawn deeper into his student’s unsettling world, Jack must confront how far he’s willing to go to protect someone—even if it means crossing the line into darkness himself.