It's sort of a relief to have Ox Woolsey dead. That's not something his son, Jiggs, says out loud, but most folks in the fizzled-out town of Two Pan already know each other's business. Now Jiggs if free to grow his Oregon land, his cattle, and his frequently funny ideas to the Bonanza-big size of his childhood dreams—until the outsider arrives. Dr. Richard Jarmin frames the stunning landscape of the Eagle Cap Mountains in dollar signs, a perfect site for vacation cabins, and he's actively organizing a pack of outsiders for the new development. Jiggs finds himself at the crossroads: Save the rascally people and place that molded him from urban change OR invest in his own pursuits. When put to the test, his attempts to handcuff time focus a spotlight on long-kept mysteries and unsparing revelations. Shaken with unexpected truths, readers will both howl and find comfort in uncertain futures, sleepless souls, and an unforgettable tale about the flaws in all of us.