Angels and demons provide the "shadows" of influence on this world from the spiritual realm, as we see played out in the lives of two young girls and their families in a small Northern Minnesota town. One of these girls, Katie Maki, has a scientific gift in her brain that, if developed, will be used to help alleviate the suffering of humanity in some major way, and Satan has discovered the existence of this gift. His "fallen angels," or demons, are instructed to quench it by means of moral corruption, if possible, and if not, by death. Enter a sociopath with a motive for murder. He's the demons' backup plan in case moral corruption doesn't work. On the side of the angels is Julie Marcucci, the young widowed neighbor of the parents of Jake Maki, Katie's father. She loves twelve-year-old Katie, and the Makis appreciate her influence on the girl, hoping it will counteract that of Katie's mom, who owns and runs a bar where Katie works in the kitchen until she's old enough to serve drinks. A revolving door for live-in boyfriends, an emphasis on money as the most valued goal in life, and a successful attack on the man she divorced, Jake Maki, as a "jerk" for no better reason than his shyness with women characterizes Pam Stanley's role modeling for her daughter. As Jake tries to win Katie's love, Julie tries to win his. Meanwhile, Katie's friendship with her schoolmate Deanna Mallon has the demons in an uproar. "Stop this abominable friendship," is the command as the spirits watch Katie begin to change as a result of it...and as a result of Heaven's other major tool to save Katie and her gift: Mac the dog. Other elements in the story involve a group of attractive Wiccans that Deanna's divorced mom, Annie, joins; Annie's plan to marry someone-anyone-who can help her and Deanna out of their near-poverty; and a cat with an attitude