Dog Star Bender

From 1871 to 1873 a series of murders committed by a family who called themselves the Benders took place in Kansas. The father, mother, son and daughter took in weary travelers and offered a warm bed to sleep for the night, but dinnertime brought more than a hot meal to the unsuspecting guests. Skulls were caved in, throats were slit. Anything of value was stolen and later sold. Their bodies were buried in shallow graves beyond the farmhouse.

In modern day Coffeyville, Kansas a fussy ex-police detective turned investigator is sent to determine the identity of a certain inn keeper and finds himself wondering if history is about to repeat itself in a very personal way, more meaningful to him than he could ever have imagined, particularly when he finds himself falling for the most maddening woman he's ever met.