Thirteen-year-old Jake Thrasher's mother is dead, and the only clues left by the beast that killed her are a few strands of red hair and a set of plate-sized tracks. When his Army Scout father refuses to hunt it down, Jake takes matters into his own hands. Feeling abandoned and betrayed y his father, Jake's desire for revenge takes him on a dangerous journey that not only tests his courage but his desire to survive. Wolves, snakes, grizzlies, renegade Apache, and the ever-present threat of death are waiting for him. Will Jake find his Red Ghost? Or, will he succumb to the inherent dangers?