Two armed men enter the police station in tiny Heartsdale, Georgia, and open fire. When the shooting stops, an officer is dead, Police Chief Jeffrey Tolliver is seriously wounded, and the survivors-including a class of grade-school children and medical examiner Sara Linton-are held hostage. In a tense standoff that could erupt at any moment into more bloodletting-with her ex-husband on the threshold of death-Sara must search for answers and an escape...

Ogeechee's oldest living ex-mayor, Julian Stubbs, is murdered the day after he is honored at Ogeechee's bicentennial celebration. Chief of Police, Henry Huckabee, and Officer Trudy Roundtree investigate Julian's death, but have to sort out some other mysteries.

A victim was buried alive in the Georgia woods--then killed in a horrifying fashion. When medical examiner Sara Linton and her ex-husband, police chief Jeffrey Tolliver stumble upon the body, both become consumed with finding out who killed the pretty, impeccably dressed young woman. And for Sara and Jeffrey, a harrowing journey begins, one that will test their own turbulent relationship and draw dozens of lives into the case.