The discovery of the first naked body in front of a church in Koblenz immediately raises suspicions that it could be the start of a series of murders. The body was inscribed with an encrypted message. The second body, found the following day—also bearing a cryptic inscription—prompts a profiler from the State Criminal Police Office to assist, against the wishes of the homicide squad. When the third body is found in front of a church, the Catholic Church, represented by a special envoy from the Vatican, also becomes involved. But despite all the support, Chief Inspector Auer's homicide squad finds no suspects, and soon there are indications that many more bodies will be discovered.