The story begins with Jack Reacher, a drifter who has no fixed abode and travels from place to place, taking on odd jobs. He arrives in the fictional town of Margrave, Georgia, where he becomes embroiled in a complex web of mystery and danger. Reacher soon discovers that a sniper has killed five people in the town, and the only survivor, a young woman named Helen Rodin (played by Veronica Strall), is being pursued by the police. As Reacher tries to help Helen, he uncovers a sinister plot involving a corrupt military officer, Major William Quinn (played by David Thompson), and a pharmaceutical company.