Although the focus is on the unsolved murders of a priest and female tourists, THE CITY DIFFERENT, better known as Santa Fe, NM, is a story about the good and the bad of its people, its cultural and social values, its politics, its beauty and its charm.
A city is left in a state of chaos after the brutal murder of a priest is followed by the deaths of female tourists. Are these thrill-kills or a serial murders, and uncertainty that puzzles state police officials, a female homicide detective, and a district attorney. Complexities set in when the detective and the district attorney become lovers. They increase when she comes to suspect him of being part of at least one of the crimes.
Meanwhile, a power-seeking separatist is vying for the city's mayor's seat. He is supported by a powerful state senator known to sanction illicit drug deals, and the outcome of the mayoral race could affect the political and cultural make-up of the city. A middle-aged businessman and an elder represent the conscience of the city and a philosophy in general. One does it by his deeds and his opinions, and the other through his experience and by simple wisdom. Through the elder, a brief history of the area is given.
Many scenes are brutally direct without being gruesome, and others show sensitivity as it handles difficult situations.