Rev. Will McKenzie ministers to a large congregation among the elegant but decadent society of pre-Katrina New Orleans. When a member of his congregation murders her unfaithful husband, Will's wartime flashbacks accelerate, pressing him to face his own inner conflicts and driving him to resolve guilt for what he did during the war and guilt for surviving when others died. As he struggles, Will encounters repeated lures from a seductive church member, the unending demands of his congregation, and his own brush with emotional breakdown.
The novel offers spiritual and psychological insights into our human nature and the dynamics of guilt and forgiveness. Written with dry humor amid life's unflinching realism, the narrative lures the reader deeper and deeper into the essence of human existence. Will's inner transformation invites us to evaluate our own views of love and acceptance, in the face of guilt and the need for forgiveness. A rich and profound experience awaits the reader of this exceptional novel.