Fake cowboys. Real bodies. A corporate conspiracy worth killing for. A glamorous film crew invades the High Lonesome, turning the rugged backcountry into a celluloid version of the Old West. But when a real body falls on the movie set, Sheriff Pudge Warbler enlists wildlife ranger Nick Drake to untangle a web of vanity, secrets, and murder hidden among the stars. But the Hollywood drama is only a distraction from a much more vicious threat. Deep in the canyons, Nick discovers an old prospector shot in the back-an execution-style killing tied to a sinister, powerful gold mining company desperate to strip the land bare. As Nick closes in on the truth, he finds himself caught between the illusions of the silver screen and a cold-blooded corporate syndicate that will stop at nothing to protect its claim. When the killers escalate the conflict by targeting Nick's wife and newborn daughter, the investigation becomes a desperate, all-out war. Outnumbered and outgunned, Nick must look to ancient mysticism and his own lethal combat instincts to hunt down the predators before his family is buried like lost treasure. What readers are saying: "Smart, thrilling, beautifully written page-turners. A stunning love song to a remote land." "Prose that crackles like the unforgiving setting, building to a climax as powerful as a force of nature." "A masterful blend of high desert realism, historical tension, and deep respect for Native American culture, lore, and mysticism." "The storylines are absolutely riveting, keeping me up turning pages late into the night." "Nick Drake is wonderfully complex, gritty, and straight to the heart. A man to run the river of life with!"