Chloe Ryder left the Tampa police force under a cloud of suspicion, and became a lawyer. There is not much in her life that she has passion for, other than her church and pastor, Father Brendon Quinlan.
When a fellow parishioner is found murdered and crucified on Saint Simeon's altar just before the Easter vigil, and it is revealed that the victim was gay, all eyes suddenly are thrust on Father Brendon. His only real ally is Chloe, who stands by him, while his local diocese tries to find evidence to have him removed.
Detective Matt Diel is Chloe's former partner. He still has feelings for her, despite her icy persona, but has never managed to break through her chilly facade. He agrees with Chloe that the murder appears to be a set up, and asks that they work together on it. As they unravel the clues, and discover Father Brendon's implication in a suicide of a young gay soldier while he was in the Navy, it appears that Brendon is the target of a sinister and far-reaching plot.
While the suspense of the story was good, I was really disappointed with the lack of romance, as well as the incomplete conclusion. I felt like something was missing - was there a book prior... one later that follows up with the characters? I just felt a bit cheated since it is touted as romantic suspense.
