Book Title: The Sins of the Righteous
Author and Publisher: Colin Smith
Release Date: July 27, 2025
Genres: Contemporary LGBT fiction, Murder/mystery/suspense
Tropes: Forbidden love
Themes: Coming out, forgiveness, historical elements
Heat Rating: 1 out of 5 flames
Length: 17 675 words/71 pages
Buy Links – Available in Kindle Unlimited
Blurb
In this riveting mystery steeped in compassion and conviction, a former pastor—cast out by his church for being gay—finds himself drawn back into the community that rejected him when a beloved elderly congregant is found murdered. Bound by loyalty and grace, he refuses to turn away. As he hunts for the truth, his identity becomes both a source of scrutiny and strength.The Sins of the Righteous is more than a murder mystery—it’s a powerful reflection on redemption, injustice, and the courage it takes to embrace authenticity in the face of rejection. With surprising twists and an emotionally resonant journey, this story offers a gripping exploration of faith, identity, and the secrets that bind us. Ideal for readers who love character-driven suspense with spiritual depth and social nuance.
Detective Marcus Johnson arrived at the Jenkins residence with the practiced efficiency that had made him the youngest detective in the department’s history. At thirty-two, he’d seen enough blood to know this was no robbery gone wrong—the careful positioning of the body, the deliberate placement of the photograph with its ominous red X—this was personal.
“What time did you arrive, Pastor Reed?” he asked, not looking up from his notepad. The victim’s spiritual advisor had been the one to find the body, which statistically made him the first person to rule out—or in.
“Around eleven forty. Mrs. Jenkins called me at eleven seventeen exactly. I remember checking my watch.” Thomas Reed stood with his hands clasped before him, the posture of a man who’d spent years looking solemn behind pulpits and at gravesides.
Now Marcus did look up, noting the pastor’s composure. Too composed for someone who’d just discovered a vicious murder. Or simply a man accustomed to grief? The pastor was older—mid-forties, Marcus guessed—with salt-and-pepper hair that gave him a distinguished look. Lean but not frail, with eyes that held something Marcus recognized immediately. Something carefully hidden.
“You were still close with Mrs. Jenkins? I understand you’re no longer at First Covenant.” Marcus kept his tone neutral and professional.
Thomas’s face tightened. “Mrs. Jenkins continued to call me for assistance despite her… role in my departure from the church.”
“And what role was that exactly?”
Thomas’s gaze met Marcus’s directly for the first time. “She and another church member, Margaret Wilkins, filed a complaint with my denomination’s leadership because I provided shelter to a young man in an abusive relationship. They… mischaracterized the nature of my assistance.”
Something about the way he said it made Marcus’s instincts flare. It was not that the pastor was lying, but that he was telling a carefully edited truth. Marcus had built his career on recognizing those distinctions.
“You continued helping her despite that?” Marcus surveyed the room again, noting the family photos, the religious artifacts, the life of pious appearances. How often had he seen that in his own community growing up?
“It was the Christian thing to do,” Thomas replied, though something bitter flickered across his face.
A uniformed officer approached with an evidence bag. “Detective, we found this in the backyard. Looks like it might’ve been dropped in a hurry.”
Marcus examined the item through the plastic—a keychain with an embossed logo for “Horizon Retreat ” and a single key.
“Recognize this, Pastor Reed?” Marcus held up the bag.
Thomas’s face drained of color so rapidly that Marcus thought he might faint. The reaction was instantaneous, visceral, and deeply revealing.
“I… no,” Thomas managed, the first unconvincing thing he’d said since Marcus arrived.
Marcus tucked the evidence bag away. “I’d like you to come to the station to provide a formal statement.”
“Of course,” Thomas nodded, composing himself with visible effort.
“Detective?” Another officer called from the hallway. “Mrs. Jenkins’s daughter and son-in-law just arrived.”
A middle-aged couple entered. The woman’s face contorted with grief, and the man supported her with an arm around her shoulders. When she saw Thomas, her expression shifted to something complicated—gratitude tinged with discomfort.
“Pastor Tom,” she choked out. “You found her?”
Thomas nodded. “I’m so sorry, Carol. I came as soon as she called.”
Colin Smith is a freelance writer and historian, and is known for his clear narrative, historical accuracy, and ability to tell a great story.
