Edge of the Axe

In the rural town of Paddock County, a masked killer with an axe murders nurse Mirna Dobson while she drives through a car wash. The brutal act shocks the community and marks the first thread in a pattern of violent deaths. The scene sets a dark, threatening tone for the mystery to unfold.

Eccentric, computer-obsessed Gerald Martin has recently moved into a cabin on the property of an elderly hermit named Brock. His relocation places him at the center of emerging town mysteries as he settles into the secluded setting. The move introduces Gerald as a central figure in the unfolding events.

Gerald and his friend Richard investigate a putrid smell in the basement of a local tavern and uncover the rotting corpse of Mary West, a missing barmaid. Authorities dismiss her death as a suicide, delaying a serious inquiry. The discovery deepens the sense that something wrong lurks beneath the town's surface.

Lillian Nebbs, daughter of a tavern owner, meets Gerald and the two bond over their shared fascination with technology. Their growing connection hints at an alliance as the town is engulfed by murderous events. The encounter anchors the story's human side amid the thriller elements.

Late one night, Rita Miller is brutally murdered while walking through town. Her body is found the following morning, crushed by a train on the railroad tracks. The case expands the killer's reach and intensifies the town's fear.

Officer Frank McIntosh launches an investigation into the rash of killings, coordinating with local authorities. His pursuit adds the police perspective to the mystery and pushes the case toward a confrontational climax. The sense of an active hunt increases the tension for the town.

Lillian, using Gerald's computer, discovers a list of the three women who have been killed. Gerald explains that he keeps such lists for amusement, hinting at a troubling pattern behind his curiosity. The moment deepens the questions surrounding Gerald and his role in the killings.

During a windstorm, another local woman is attacked in her home, after previously discovering a severed hog's head left in her bed. She flees to her barn, but the killer catches up and ends her life with the axe. The brutal scene widens the killer's pattern and heightens the terror.

While boating on the lake the next day, Richard discovers the severed head of a nurse from a local psychiatric hospital. The grisly find adds another clue tying the killings to people connected with the community. It underscores the killer's reach and brutality.

Anna Bixby, a leader of the town's church choir, discovers her dog murdered in her home. When she goes to retrieve her shotgun, the killer hides in the pantry, chops off her fingers, and then murders her. The assaults continue to strike at intimate, everyday spaces in the town.

Laura, Richard's wife, drinks with Christopher Caplin at the Nebbs' tavern, then leaves with him and crashes her car on the way home. She later ends up in the woods, where the masked killer pounces, killing her. The next morning, Richard reports Laura never returned home and later her body is found.

At the crime scene, Officer McIntosh finds a pin from the Nebbs' tavern, which leads him to question Lillian and her father. The discovery ties the murders to the Nebbs family and widens the circle of suspicion. The investigation tightens around a familiar local family.

Lillian, home alone, hears strange noises and confronts Gerald, who insists Charlie is a figment of her imagination. He exposes supposed medical records and a full list of the victims, claiming a personal connection to her life. The exchange escalates into a chase as police close in.

McIntosh and his deputies arrive as the confrontation peaks, and they shoot Gerald to death. McIntosh consoles Lillian, who begins to smile maniacally over his shoulder, signaling a final, chilling twist to the investigation.