The body of a Choctaw Indian woman is discovered in a drought-stricken lake in the Texas Hill Country. Insurance investigator Adam Gold journeys to Austin, where he is drawn into the dark world of a dangerous religious cult led by a cold-blooded killer who plans to steal one of the world's most valuable manuscripts in order to finance his ministry. A deadly game of cat and mouse will ensue culminating in a startling climax at the West Texas compound of America's most bizarre cult.