Meet the unconventional Aggie Sloan-Wilcox, a minister's wife with her own calling: helping troubled souls in need of justice. When the naked body of a murdered woman turns up on Aggie's front porch—and suspicion falls on Aggie's husband—she doesn't have a prayer of clearing his name unless she can uncover the truth in a town not known for confessing its sins.

Now that a chalk outline no longer marks their front porch, Aggie Sloan-Wilcox and her minister husband can turn their attention back to the living. 'Tis the season in bucolic Emerald Springs, Ohio. As a gift to her daughters, Aggie's mom has invited their former foster sister, Ginger, to join their Christmas reunion. A potential candidate for Sociopaths Anonymous, Ginger could make Aggie nostalgic for the chalk line. But when Ginger turns up deader than a drumstick, Aggie's sister is the logical suspect because she always resented her mother's attachment to Ginger. Aggie knows her sister is incapable of murder. But that won't convince the police. Now Aggie has to find the murderer—someone who's decided there's a loophole in thou shalt not kill.

There's no rest for the weary Aggie Sloan-Wilcox and her minister husband, who were praying for a relaxing weekend until a member of their flock went missing. Joe Wagner, president of Emerald Springs' food bank, disappears, and Aggie discovers his secret life-as a female impersonator. Meanwhile, the murder of the mayor's wife at the annual food bank fundraiser puts Joe on top of the suspect list. If Aggie doesn't get to the bottom of things fast, she'll be leading a choir singing the blues.

Aggie Sloan Wilcox likes to practice what her minister husband preaches—to a point. But babysitting a narcissistic “star” demands the patience of a saint, and Aggie isn’t bucking for a halo. Actor and singer Grady Barber has returned to his hometown to judge the Emerald Springs Idyll, a talent show to help raise funds for the local hospital. As the newest volunteer on the fund-raising committee, Aggie is assigned the unenviable task of ensuring that Grady’s needs are met. Unfortunately, Grady’s needs are legion, as are the enemies he makes. When Aggie stumbles upon his dead body, she isn’t terribly surprised. But when “Sister” Nora, of a controversial circus that preaches the dangers of global warming, turns out to be Grady’s ex-wife, she is surprised. And when Nora is arrested for his murder, more than Aggie’s patience is tried. She must use every skill to clear the name of the unlikely prophet, before Nora spends her final days preaching on death row.

After Godwin Dorchester, a former minister of the Consolidated Community Church of Emerald Springs, Ohio, dies suddenly while visiting town for the church’s anniversary celebration, his overblown memorial service is halted when Aggie Sloan-Wilcox, the wife of the present minister, gets a call from the funeral director telling her the police are demanding an autopsy. Seems “Win” didn’t have a heart attack after all. He was poisoned with an overdose of his own digitalis. Suspects are many, but uppermost is Hildy Dorchester, Win’s wife of many years, who prides herself on being the perfect ministerial helpmate. In fact Hildy’s mission is to make unconventional Aggie the perfect helpmate to Ed, a role Aggie has never relished. Despite her aversion to Hildy’s vision of a minister’s wife, Aggie must stand beside her and try to prove her innocence when the congregation turns its back on the woman who always put them first. As Aggie sorts through possibilities, including church members with little faith in their former pastor, she slowly begins to see Hildy’s finer points as well as a darker side to Win’s flock. This time Aggie is sure that finding the murderer will be an academic exercise. She is determined not to put herself or anyone she loves in danger again.