Mentally and emotionally drained from his messy divorce and the many years of long hours that he put into his Houston law firm, John Mariner was looking forward to a fresh start in idyllic Blanco, Texas. John soon settles into his new, peaceful life . . . and that's when big-time problems come knocking at his door. When a would-be client asks John to assist him with what seems like a fairly straightforward arrangement, John accepts his proposal, despite a few reservations. When John shows up at the agreed-upon location to help his newest client, he is horrified to find that the man he just met has been murdered. John soon finds himself at the center of a murder investigation that seems to grow more complex by the minute-especially when he finds himself falling for the victim's daughter, Carla. When a second victim is found, John soon realizes that finding out who is behind these killings is truly a matter of life and death . . . and that his may be the next body to be discovered.