Sometimes, things aren’t what they seem. And sometimes, they are. Times have changed for gay people, and when prosecutor Toni Barston hears about the death of a local lesbian bartender, she doesn’t immediately think, “Hate crime.” But it is. Even then, to assume that the murderer is a crazed religious fanatic would be a cliché. Except that’s where preliminary evidence leads her. In fact, suspects are depressingly plentiful. Looking for deeper answers and better clues, Toni draws on her knowledge of mental illness to build a profile of a killer who uses stoning to finish off each victim. Following the delusions of a sick mind has Toni and her police force friends turning in circles. When the trail twists back on them, suddenly nothing is what it seems—and everything is far worse than Toni could have imagined.