When an old Native American shaman is accused of murdering a cedar tree poacher, Dr. Peyton McKean is called in to unravel the dense tangle of clues hidden among the majestic trees of a Pacific Northwest rainforest. Police detectives are baffled but McKean's brilliant mind leads him past the obvious--and into danger.
Modern biotechnology crosses paths with ancient native wisdom as Peyton McKean and Fin Morton follow the thread of evidence in this tale of murder among the stumps of a long-dead forest. McKean's wits and scientific skills are tested by baffling clues at the scene, and the odd behavior of an old Duwamish Indian who seems to know more than he is telling. The answers are to be found in a fern-choked grotto where the spirits of forest giants seem to be watching the comings and goings of men--and waiting.
