Something So Divine

When a young girl is found murdered in a Pennsylvania rye field in 1897, Ned Gebhardt, a feeble-minded youth known to have stalked the victim, is a prime suspect. Incidents involving another girl and gossip stir emotions to a frenzy, nearly leading to a lynching.

Evidence against Ned is circumstantial and there are other suspects. Influenced by Ned’s stepsister and Ellen, a woman who has perked his interest, Simon Roth, the investigator, is inclined to give Ned the benefit of doubt. Then he discovers damaging new evidence.

Still unwilling to view Ned as a cold-blooded killer, Roth puts his job and reputation in jeopardy as he seeks to assure a fair trial for the accused.