Navajo Tribal Police Officer Jim Chee and Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn are reunited in this intricately-woven mystery from the writer described by USA Today as "flat out marvelous."

Ashie Pinto, a poor Navajo shaman, is charged with the murder of Delbert Nez, Jim Chees best friend and in Apache County sheriff. Janet Pete, attorney for the Navajo tribe's legal aid office, is his counsel, a job made especially difficult by Pinto's refusal to talk. Jim Chee is a key prosecution witness since he arrested Pinto near Nez's burning car while Nez lay inside. Lt. Joe Leaphorn observes the trial at the request of the defendant's family, and is troubled by the number of unanswered and disturbing questions that arise during the hearing. Chee is also goadcd into invcstigative action when Janet Pete feels that lie might not be doing all that he could because the victim was his friend.

The independent trails of the two detectives ]cad them to the core of an intricate conspiracy involving a valuable historical find, and a skinwalkcr ritual responsible for Pinto's silence. They get caught in a web of deceit and the mystical world of Navajo witchcraft in what promises to be their toughest case ever