When several people are brutally killed in the town of Placerton, on the isolated Oregon coast, most locals think a rogue bear or cougar is roaming the forested hills near town. Police Chief Dan Connor is not so sure. He has witnessed some very strange things lately, such as disembodied voices, muttering a strange foreign language and an old Indian man who seems to be near every crime scene, but disappears before he can be questioned.
Dan's investigation takes him to the local Sihketunnai Indians and their legend of the Ni'il, magical shamans charged with maintaining the balance between humans and the natural world. According to the elders, one of the Ni'il is responsible for the murders and intends to kill everyone in the community. It is Dan's job to stop it.
It sounded unbelievable, but was the only explanation that fit the facts.
As a violent Pacific storm crashes ashore, cutting off power and washing out roads-cutting the town off from the outside world--Dan finds himself entering a strange world of myth and magic that was not covered in his police training. He must use all his wits and new-found powers to save himself and his community from the Ni'il.
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March 09, 2009: Wow! I read it during a windstorm and it scared the #$@% out of me. One heck of a debut novel.
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January 07, 2009: I just finished the book and loved it. The characters really come to life. I found myself making time to read the book because I cared about the characters and their town. I loved the use of Native American folklore. I have long been a student of their stories and love Tony Hillerman novels. This novel has all the same ingrediants, a story and a purpose. Mr. Boyle got it right!