This tale of warm relationships and chilling murders takes place in the lake country of central Minnesota. Normal, daily activities in the quiet and peaceful, small town of New Dresen are disrupted when local resident, ex-CIA agent Maynard Cushing, is murdered in his country home.
His killer, Robert Ranforth also an ex-CIA agent, had been living anonymously in the community for several years. Earlier in his career, Cushing was instrumental during the investigation and subsequent arrest of Ranforth by the FBI for espionage. Ranforth vanished before the trial began.
Tom Hastings, a neighbor and friend of the victim, becomes a threat to the anonymous ex-agent. Stalked and attacked at his country home, he employs tools and people, including neighbors, a deputy sheriff and Allan Burnside of the FBI, to mount a defense and help solve crimes.
Frightening and tragic events take place during attempts to expose the ex-agent. Who is Ranforth?
Is it Floyd Pella, the barber? Floyd Pella notices most everything, from his barbershop window, transpiring up and down Main Street.
Is it Kyle Fredrickson, one of the local Realtors? He is observed in the Cushing neighborhood many times, has some enemies.
Is it Fred Cook owner and operator of the Vacuum Cleaner shop? He is unhappy and is in conflict with the local bankers.
Is it Sylvan Tullaby, a lake side neighbor of Hastings? He has the most expensive boat on the lake.
All four have mysterious past histories and moved to the community in recent years.
Perhaps the killer is none of the above. It could be Hastings' closest neighbor, Pete Smilie. He hangs around the fields and is usually armed with a rifle.
None of the neighbors of Cushing and Hastings had a darker past than Steve Wytorrek, who resides at a farmstead adjacent to the Hastings property.
Who?
