Page Hawthorne, divorced mother of two young boys, loves her work behind the scenes at the Church of the Holy Comforter. Then Page discovers the grotesquely murdered body of the charismatic but troubled priest, the Rev. Miles Costello. He has been stabbed and his head is smoldering under a heap of glowing embers, bringing to mind sinister elements of the daily lectionary. The serene surface of the distinguished church is abruptly disrupted, as Page-along with the rest of the staff-is thrown into the ensuing chaos of a ...
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Page Hawthorne, divorced mother of two young boys, loves her work behind the scenes at the Church of the Holy Comforter. Then Page discovers the grotesquely murdered body of the charismatic but troubled priest, the Rev. Miles Costello. He has been stabbed and his head is smoldering under a heap of glowing embers, bringing to mind sinister elements of the daily lectionary. The serene surface of the distinguished church is abruptly disrupted, as Page-along with the rest of the staff-is thrown into the ensuing chaos of a criminal investigation and into the company of two police detectives from the Special Case Squad, Roy Merton and Leona Vesba. The detectives interview staff members and parishioners exhaustively, perceiving hesitation and an unwillingness to cooperate. They quickly discern as well that opinions are divided concerning the murdered priest's character. Was he a compassionate man of God or a self-promoting manipulator? They also hear varying versions of Page's involvement with Costello and insinuations that they were more than spiritual friends. Merton, to the consternation of his abrasive partner, is attracted to Page and would like to believe her, but he cannot shake his feeling that she is involved somehow in the murder. When a prominent parishioner is murdered in Costello's office less than a week after the priest, and his death also points to a lectionary tie-in, the disagreeing detectives begin to see how indeed Page Hawthorne may be involved. The pressure mounts as church leaders insist on a speedy denouement in order to maintain the position of the parish in the community and as a third murder seems more than likely if the murderer stays true to form.
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