1979, Nevada - after being sentenced to death for the murder of his wife and daughters, a German immigrant wakes up in an almost-exact replica of his childhood home. His every move is being recorded by hidden cameras. Thirsty to find the real killer and escape the confines of the 'snuff' movie in which he now stars, Strauss begins a violent odyssey of murdering for sport, political corruption and terror. COLD OPEN is a vicious, fast-paced literary crime thriller that maintains a dizzying, aggressive momentum from start to finish.