A crisp October evening in 1974: As an attractive, Polish immigrant walks the deserted streets of Chicago's Little Village neighborhood, she's filled with hope about her future. In a few hours she's found murdered in a gangway. It's a crime the police pursue without much interest, but for private detective Joey Boloccini it represents a chance to break the monotony of his fledgling career and achieve the success that's eluded him. At the heart of the mystery is the Pilsudski family - Anton, Mamie, Walter and Marek - known as The Coffin Haulers for the humiliating, low-paying job they perform. Yet no one is aware, especially the police, of how wealthy they are. The Pilsudskis have a family secret: It's not hauling coffins that bring in money, but what's inside them. As his investigation proceeds, Joey is forced to make decisions that obscure the difference between right and wrong, good and evil, saints and sinners. "Not all the sins we commit are mortal," he thinks at one point. "They don't deserve punishment."