Two residents of Mason County, Virginia, Cam and Meredith Taylor, are murdered within hours of one another. Deputy Sheriff Tom Bridger is called in, along with his girlfriend, veterinarian Rachel Goddard, because she heard—but didn't see—Cam’s murder.

The daughter of the victims is Leslie, Tom’s former girlfriend. Leslie returns home to see justice done—and, frankly, to win Tom back from Rachel. The prime suspect is Ben Hern, who happens to be Rachel’s childhood friend, and Rachel is desperate to prove him innocent. Meanwhile, Leslie pushes for Hern's arrest and launches a campaign of intimidation against Rachel. With the killer targeting Rachel and the community clamoring for an arrest, Tom and Rachel must decide who they can trust.

Sandra Parshall, a native southerner, worked as a reporter in South Carolina, West Virginia, and Baltimore. She lives in northern Virginia with her husband, a longtime Washington journalist, and their cats.