Grigori woke with the wrong woman in his bed, Amy, a student and a pain in his ass. His one true desire, Eden Grace, is serving coffee at Hot Sweets near the University he teaches at. He would have to manage his day with fantasies of Eden and avoiding the one he kicked out of his bed.
Adler Hayes, Grigori’s overseer, schedules a job. Grigori, a sin eater on the side, consumes other’s misdeeds in life. Eden’s father is dying and requests a Sin Eater’s services. Eden is stunned to find Grigori at her door. After the consumption, Grigori is transported to Jaelyn Bennett’s home. Jae, his best friend, calls him out on his need to consume. She labels it an addiction. Grigori cannot argue against it.
Eden buries her father but continues to ponder Grigori and Grigori’s thoughts drift to Eden. Eden returns to work at Hot Sweets and hopes to see Professor Sin Eater. He makes the trip to see her and feed her frosting from his finger. During a distraction in the kitchen, Grigori takes a coded call from Jae. He leaves Eden with a mind-melting kiss before running to Jae’s side.
Hours later, Eden opens her door to find an inebriated Grigori. His earlier departure was for a foul consumption, involving crime, violence, and murder. Jae sent him to Eden for his own protection. But, who was going to protect them from each other? Things get hot and steamy. After an evening of carnal bliss, Grigori treats Eden to dinner and a show, a burlesque show, to be precise. It is an introduction to his best friend’s world and her persona as Lady Jae.
Grigori takes note of a news broadcast stating that Saint Louis is in the grips of a serial killer. Grigori is called to do a job and Eden wants to help. She wants to drive him to and from the job so that he is safe. She prepares for the evening and assists Grigori with his preparations. She honors him and he is awed by her desire to be what he needs. The job proves to be one of the most difficult Grigori has faced. He finds evil hiding under the robes of a Holy man.
Upon their return to Grigori’s apartment building a man willingly helps load Grigori into the elevator. As this man helped, his sins unfold in Grigori’s head. Murder played out in detail. Grigori’s sleep is riddled with visions of Bishops, blood, and a shadowy man. He sought salvation in Eden’s words and embrace.
Simon’s retirement party is well on its way when Grigori arrives. It is to be a day of farewells and well wishes to a rare commodity in Grigori’s life, a friend. A forgotten phone causes Grigori to stumble upon the secret of a sin eater’s retirement, an unmarked grave and a bullet to the back of the head. Grigori’s world imploded as he watches his longtime friend’s body slump into a pit.
Confusion drives him to Eden and to the realization that death is the retirement package for all sin eaters, past and present. Fear for Eden’s safety rips him out of her arms and into the night. Lady Jae harbored Grigori until Eden can get to him. Drunk on booze and fear Grigori wants to push Eden and Jae away for their own safety, but his own selfishness won’t allow it.
The Birthday Butcher searches for his next “date” from the envelopes on the conveyor belt. Ethan Barker is a pack mule at the Post Office. He is underestimated and a joke, but he will show them his power.
Eden devises a plan to free Grigori from his private hell. Feed his sins to another. Plans are discussed while hope mocked them. Forced to talk to Hayes, the meeting goes about as smoothly as Grigori assumed. Maybe they are in the clear. Grigori’s persistent student, Amy, discovers Grigori is involved with someone and that someone isn’t her.
Ethan Barker is patient. He will wait his turn with lovely Lucinda. He let the frat-boy leave his DNA everywhere, and Ethan will leave none. Ethan’s special date with Lucinda involves a ball gag, duct tape, razor blades, and a Pear of Anguish. It is a short date but stimulating for Ethan but Lucinda’s last. Reporters swarm Hot Sweets when the body of the lovely college student is found.
Hayes has a job for Grigori that evening. Eden swings by Grigori’s to pick up his things but finds Hayes instead. With breaking and entering added to Hayes’ failings, Eden offered Grigori and alternative sanctuary, her home. While Grigori breaks his lease, Eden watches people wander along the sidewalk including the man who helped Grigori stumble into the elevator.
Grigori’s job is a set-up. Eden felt it so she calls for backup. While Grigori is rocked by the sins he relieves his vessel of, backup stands at the door and Eden stays within reach. Once home, they are greeted by the St. Louis police who are investigating a possible break-in. Her alarm system scared the would-be robber away. Eden doubles the security sensors and floodlights around her home. Jaelyn helps Grigori and Eden figure out a plan to crush Hayes. Eden offers to move Jae into the apartment above the garage for her own safety.
Eden makes plans to hire Raymond Burke, a P.I., to look into Hayes and Grigori. Moving day came with people, boxes, and beer. Burke informs Eden that Hayes has driven by the house twice during the may lay of moving. Eden tells Grigori about Burke and an argument ensues.
Ethan watches and waits for his chance while Eden and Grigori doubt each other. Irene Barker is a perfectionist and Ethan’s mother. She failed with him. He is flawed and she must keep him in line. Order and routine are her methods, and no one will alter them, not even Ethan.
Burke questions Grigori about his past but reveals nothing of use. Burke attends a consumption to learn about what Grigori does. He walks away a firm believer. Eden takes Grigori home to find Jae having naked-time in her kitchen with her lover. Jaelyn needs to straighten up or leave.
Grigori digs up Simon to gather evidence against Hayes to share with the other Sin Eaters. Meanwhile, Ethan has another special date planned.
This ends book one.
** This is the synopsis for Sin Full. **
New Ink. Used Ideas. 