Dublin, 1880. The practice of memorial portraiture is at the height of its popularity – that is, the portrait photography of the recently deceased. As renowned memorial photographer Brock Blennerhasset expands his business with the help of his would-be actress niece Nancy Vickers and assistant Conall Molloy, someone with more sinister designs is getting in on the death photography game. A serial killer is cashing in on the sordid, developing taste for ‘snuff' imagery – pictures of people in their death throes. The murders escalate and Detective Frederick Regan of the Dublin Metropolitan Police suspects that Ireland may have its first serial murderer at large. As Blennerhasset becomes a possible suspect and his family is put in harm's way, they must track down the serial killer before he strikes again.