Inheriting a homestead from her late uncle, a stunned Kate Shugak receives a cryptic letter from him imploring her to discover his father's fate, a mystery involving a priceless tribal artifact for which Kate is targeted by murderous attacks.

When winter is done, but spring has not yet fully-sprung, much of Alaska turns to slush. Locally, it's called "breakup, " and it's a messy time of year. It's certainly messy for Kate Shugak; between being chased by grizzlies and getting shot-at by feuding families, she has to cope with an NTSB investigation. Then, of course, there's the body in the woods. Being Kate Shugak, she can't leave well enough alone, and begins to tear-apart a well-planned...

Between two suspicious murders and a series of attacks on snow mobilers up the Kanuyaq River, part-time P.I. and newly elected chairman of the Niniltna Native Association Kate Shugak has her hands full.

"'... though there is no fixed line between wrong and right, There are roughly zones whose laws must be obeyed.' ... It is New Year's Eve, nearly six weeks into an off-and-on blizzard that has locked Alaska down, effectively cutting it off from the outside world. But now there are reports of a plane down in the Quilak mountains. With the National Transportation Safety Board unable to reach the crash site, ex-Trooper Jim Chopin is pulled out of retirement...