Paul Kitka likes fast cars, women and his job as a lieutenant in the Alaska State Patrol. He likes living in Talkeetna, a small town full of quirky people he's happy to call friends and neighbors. Life is good.

Candace Marshall doesn't know what she likes -- being married to an abusive husband stripped her of all personal preferences. But to her surprise, she likes Alaska.

She came to Alaska to disappear. She chose Talkeetna, a small, remote town at the base of Mount Denali, to start over with a different name -- in a state her husband hates, and the state hates him back. It was her best chance.

When Candace finds him dead in her cabin, her first thought is to run again. Who would believe she didn't kill him?

Paul Kitka does -- reluctantly. But then, who did kill the lobbyist Alaska hates so much?

Turns out half of Talkeetna had a reason to kill the man, and everyone is lying to him: Candace, the victim's family and co-workers, and even Paul's friends and neighbors.

Now his job is on the line, his town is angry at him, and his partner wants to arrest Candace for murder. But what worries Paul the most is that in a town full of unstable and angry people, the murderer isn't done.