The first Act is murder: a killer is preying on young women in Seattle. The victims' bodies lie strewn about the city like litter. Police efforts to stop the killer have been minimal. Among those making a more significant effort to stop the murderer are five homeless people living in an abandoned church. Their play for the capture of the killer comprises the five Acts of this elegant, dramatic novel. The narrator is a former TV actor who could no longer sell meaningless products to a faceless audience. His comrades include a war veteran who shouts "Felony assault!" from street corners, a disillusioned former nun, a soulful poet, and a knight-errant adrift in the twentieth century.