Living at the Hale School in central New Hampshire has been good for 28-year-old Emma, a freelance writer, and her family - until she finds a student dead in his dorm room. Then the troubles keep coming. Her Catholic faith is put to the test, and her husband's job and even their home are at risk if the murderer isn't found quickly. To make matters worse, her good friend Fr. Martin is accused of being involved in the killing.

But Emma is not the type to stay on the sidelines. She's determined to find the truth. So when the police chief asks for her perspective on some of the people involved, she dives into the investigation. Her main assets are natural stubbornness, a Great Books education from St. John's College, and a knack for getting people to talk to her. But will that be enough?

As Emma continues to dig into some disturbing secrets at the school, she starts to fear that she may be the killer's next target. Can she find him - before he finds her?