A psychopath is kidnapping and murdering young women across the Midwest. The FBI, convinced that all the crimes are being committed by the same person, assigns Agent Clarice Starling to meet with the notorious serial killer Hannibal Lecter, who could provide valuable insights into the killer's psychology. Lecter, who is serving a life sentence for his involvement in murder and cannibalism, agrees to help Clarice only if she indulges his sick imagination with details about her own personal life.