Abruptly dismissed from the pulpit after sixteen years serving his congregation, Pastor Louis Jefferson turns to Skagit County Deputy, Jesse Crater to look into it. He does. Then, just as abruptly, locals around the county are turning up murdered. As are members of the former pastor's church. Related? Clues are far and few, except victims are missing their fingers in an odd sort of way. A serial killer? Deputy Crater has little to go on but gut instincts, and a plan to flush out the ruthless killer. Blocking his path, the new pastor to his church and an overbearing bishop. And greed.