When Rev. Oxford Christie is brought in to lead the Church of the One Soul in Philadelphia, his first thought is "What happened to the congregation?" No one has joined the church for many years, and the previous minister's portrait is now hanging in the basement, far from all eyes to see. Though there is a cemetery, there are no graves for the missing spouses of the remaining members--who refuse to talk about it.

Something sinister has clearly taken over the church. Angel, the church secretary, is hiding something. Nehmi, the caretaker, lurks about watching Reverend Ox's every move. Ammahn seems to be a prospective parishioner, though he only ever sneaks in and sits in the back pew, never speaking to anyone. And Cynthia Neal says she's drawn to the church through sounds emanating from its core, of which only she is aware.

Then Ox learns that Emmett and Mary Jane, two new visitors, are actually undercover detectives--and they're investigating an old, still-open case that involves this gloomy place and its dwindling congregation . . .