Paddy is a single mom in Alaska, struggling to makes end meet, who robs a recently deceased rich man's house. She tries to sell her goods to Jason, a former academic, now interested in nothing more than his next drink. What she stole may be very old, very valuable, and very rare: a mysterious manuscript that somehow traveled from 13th century Al-Andalusia to 21st century Anchorage. They find a rich buyer for the manuscript but first they need to contend with blackmail, addiction, and just translating the 800 year old book. Paddy and Jason have to navigate unemployment, kidnapping, and an eccentric sadist with a penchant for conspiracy theory and medieval Arabic philosophy. Paddy and Jason find themselves at the center of a bloody contest started decades ago by the dead man, the buyer, and the conspiracy theorist.