A mythical killer haunts the night, and where do a village of frightened New Englanders turn? Not to the reclusive scientist whose studies are already making people nervous. Not to the sensible young woman everyone thinks they know. And certainly not to the teenage daydreamer who doesn't know he is a stalker. But everyone must put aside fear and suspicion to face their collective demons, and not everyone in this battle will emerge victorious.

From a London orphanage to a half-burned cathedral, a little girl makes a lonely journey to meet her new caretakers. When they are delayed, she is plunged into a conflicted and grieving community. As unfettered kindness and rigid religiosity war with each other in the shadows of the cathedral, the mysterious stained glass maker's windows offer light to more than one burdened soul. Meanwhile, a sinister pattern is kindling in the background, and the town's troubles have only just begun.