Nick Noelle, a salt-of-the-earth, Creole-born detective, has always been his own man, playing by his own rules. When police discover that the mutilated victim found in the swampy bayou is the body of Julia Brunswick, daughter of the richest oilman in Texas, Noelle and his god-fearing partner Juan Lopez are put on the case. The story twists and turns, entrapping readers in the drama of Houston socialites and miscreants alike. With the turn of the page, the death count grows as one maniacal murder follows another.