Seventy-three-year-old Eugene Washington appears to have died in an unremarkable way — a heatwave combined with food poisoning from a holiday barbecue – but LAPD homicide detective Elouise “Lou” Norton is positive that something doesn’t quite add up. Especially when she learns that the only family Washington had was his fellow church-goers.

Lou is convinced that something wicked is lurking among the congregants. Could the murderer be sitting in one of those red velvet pews? And is someone protecting the wolf in the flock? Lou must force the truth into the light and confront her own demons in order to save another soul before it’s too late.