The Trouble with Believing

Faith can inspire extraordinary compassion. But in the wrong hands, it can also become a weapon of destruction.

When Detective Sergeant Magnum Schultz responds to a domestic violence call involving a teenage girl whose father is furious over her makeup, she has no idea how tragically their paths will cross again.

Shortly thereafter, the young woman is dead—brutally beaten and strangled.

The victim's younger sister is a friend of Magnum's daughter, making this investigation painfully personal. And as Magnum searches for answers, she must confront the possibility that someone considered murder an acceptable punishment for disobedience.

Meanwhile, Porterville's churches are being desecrated by a vandal with a particularly revolting signature. Assigned to investigate, Magnum—known around the department as the "shit magnet"—finds herself in a decidedly crappy mood.

Two investigations. Two very different crimes. One young woman is dead, and Porterville's churches are under attack.

And Magnum is about to discover just how much damage people can do when they're absolutely certain they're right."