A Thorn Among the Lilies

1949. In the central Illinois farming community of Westville, people are trying to adjust to the post-WWII economy and re-establish a new normal for their lives. Former Army M. P. Dan Baker recently graduated from Bible College and accepted his first pastorate at Our Saviors Evangelical Lutheran Church. Many of the men who returned from the War are taking advantage of the educational benefits of the G. I. Bill. When a young woman who sings in Our Saviors choir, Maggie Turner, is found dead, Pastor Dan can't shake the feeling that something sinister is at work. But, the more he investigates to find the truth of the situation, the more he must confront his own personal demons. Throw a controlling local detective, John Wilson, and a philandering college professor, Raymond King, into the mix and things quickly go from suspected suicide to murder...