The wealthy Devere family, parishioners of Father Dowling's at St. Hilary's, have problems. According to news reports, the Chicago Diocese is planning to consolidate several parishes, and St. Hilary's may be on the closures list. What will become of the Menotti stained glass windows the family commissioned for the church? Family matriarch Jane Devere has her lawyer working on the problem, but deaths of several people with connections to the Devere family soon absorb everyone's attention.

The plot is quite convoluted. Since this is the first Father Dowling book I've read, I'm not sure if this is typical of the series. I think the author managed to confuse even the editors, because I'm pretty sure there are a few continuity errors in the book. Some of the early plot threads disappear once the murders occur and the search for the killer takes over. There are an awful lot of characters to keep track of, some of whom serve very little purpose. In spite of these shortcomings, I found it strangely absorbing. I was fascinated by the church politics and theological discussions, maybe because it's so different from my Protestant background. I found more to like than to dislike in the book. ( )