Dexter Cornell is a cynical and alcoholic English literature professor at a prestigious California university who finds out that he has been poisoned and has only 48 hours to live. He embarks on a dangerous and frantic search for his murderer, determined to solve the case before he dies. The only clue he has is a list of names given to him by the police, which includes his own.
As Dexter investigates, he discovers that all the people on the list are connected to him in some way, either through work or personal relationships. He also has flashbacks to events leading up to his poisoning, including a conversation with a mysterious woman in a bar and a violent encounter with one of his students.
With time running out, Dexter turns to his friendly student Sydney Fuller for help. Together, they follow the trail of clues, encountering dangerous people and narrow escapes along the way. As the pieces of the puzzle fall into place, Dexter realizes that the motive for the murders is much bigger than he imagined, and that his own life is in peril.
In the thrilling finale, Dexter confronts the killer and discovers the shocking truth behind the murders. Despite the danger, he manages to survive and even finds new purpose in his life, thanks in part to his growing feelings for Sydney.