In 1900s San Francisco, a white woman is murdered in Chinatown and the suspect is a Chinese man. The murder causes a social shock and the public calls for Chinatown to be outlawed. Chinese medicine practitioner Qin Fu and Chinese man Ghost are involved in the case, and they race against time to find the murderer amidst a battle of wits and courage.
In 1949, composer Roman Strauss is executed for the murder of his wife. In 1990s Los Angeles, a detective comes across a mute amnesiac woman who is somehow linked to the Strauss murder.