Faith Morgan, former policewoman and newly ordained priest in the Church of England, is visiting the village of Little Worthy, Winchester, to look around the parish where she is about to start her ministry. But within an hour of her arrival to the sleepy village she witnesses the sudden shocking death of a fellow priest during a communion service.
One of the first police officers at the scene is Detective Inspector Ben Shorter, Faith’s former boyfriend. They had been inseparable until Faith’s sense of calling led her to question his drive for convictions, seemingly at any cost.
At the Bishop’s urging, Faith stays on to look after the parish. As she meets her parishioners she learns some surprising details about her apparently well-loved predecessor, and starts to suspect a motive for his death. How will she reconcile her present calling with her past instincts? Is she in danger herself? What should she do about her feelings for Ben? Then a further horrifying event deepens the mystery . . .