Twelve-year-old Jack's adventures give readers an exciting introduction to archeology, Hopi culture, and the Mesa Verde National Park, in Colorado. When his mother, a wildlife veterinarian, is asked to investigate a cougar attack in Mesa Verde National Park, Jack looks forward to exploring the park's ancient cliff dwellings. But his life becomes unexpectedly complicated when he helps an abandoned girl named Lucky. In a midnight showdown at the park's Spruce Tree House, Jack realizes there is more to fear than a killer cat.