Sam Westmore killed several people before committing suicide. That, in and of itself, makes for an interesting read, but Protect the Guilty becomes a compelling story when it portrays Sam as a ghost, reliving and relating the events of his life that led to his acts of violence, hoping against the bitter realities of life to clear himself as a mindless, out-of-control human. From his invisible vantage, Sam first observes the crime scene while learning how to navigate his new form, learning from the inside out what makes people think – and tick. To relate his pre-suicide life, he spends time with two law enforcement investigators as they play a thumb drive they had retrieved from Sam's cold fist to learn the truth behind the multiple deaths. When Sam is not reliving his life, he wanders about the city, observing people and doing good deeds mysteriously. Every night, he sees the same homeless man sleeping near a historic monument. But is this an ordinary homeless man or someone far more special? What message will he eventually give Sam to make his after-life mission meaningful?