Artist Karl Erikson hasn’t been himself in the days before his death. He’s been anxious. Fearful. Obsessively religious. Odd for someone who’s been a lifelong atheist. His house is broken into six weeks after the funeral. The investigator asks his widow: Is there anyone who wishes you harm? Brooke can’t think of a soul who wishes her harm, but how else to explain the break-in? Drawers emptied onto the floor. Upholstery slashed. Valuables left untouched. Did Karl hide a treasure somewhere in the house? Did the intruder find it, or will he be back to search again?

Brooke’s search for answers leads her into a dark world of secret societies, coded symbols, ancient prophecies and spiritual warfare. She soon realizes that high-tech security cameras, motion detectors and alarms can’t protect her from those who are out there in the night, watching, waiting, and wishing her harm.

A part-time job directing Dracula at Sussex Academy turns into a full-time obsession when Brooke Roberts finds a body on campus. This isn’t just any body. It belongs to Nina Powell, a stunningly attractive African American artist, activist and teacher at this private academy for the offspring of the rich and powerful. The students thought Nina was amazing. Their parents, the school board and the administration—not so much.

Brooke’s challenges are daunting enough without the added burdens of dealing with grieving students and hysterical parents. The kid who plays Dracula won’t follow directions, the stage manager’s father is trying to shut down the production and a silent enemy is warning her to keep out of the investigation. But when she inadvertently stumbles upon conflicts of interest within the police department, she’s forced to get involved.

Before long she’s face-to-face with an outraged radio talk show host, a white-supremacist hate group and a mysterious cult whose midnight rituals raise more questions than they answer. Meanwhile, a killer is watching, and like Dracula, he—or she—is thirsty for blood.