In the sixth book in Steven Havill's Undersheriff Bill Gastner series, the aging law enforcement officer is recovering from major surgery at his daughter Camille's home in suburban Michigan. Just when he starts itching for some excitement, Gastner receives a phone call from his chief of detectives and friend, Estelle Reyes-Guzman. Gastner is informed that Posadas County has been hit by a rash of burglaries, with his own home as one of the targets - and his bad luck doesn't stop there. An elderly neighbor has also decided to use Gastner's backyard to bury his dead wife. Eager to get back to New Mexico and resolve these problems, he hops on a plane with his daughter and heads back home. Upon arrival, Gastner is greeted with yet another puzzle: A three-year-old boy has disappeared from a campsite, leaving his parents sick with worry about the possibility of a kidnapping.