The Purloined Skull

Everyone in Cedarton, Arkansas has their own opinion as to how a headless body came to be dug up by a marijuana farmer's dogs. DALLAS STARR is blessed, or cursed, with visions of what his Cherokee ancestors call asgi'na, ghosts, and anasgi'na, evil spirits. This combination gives him the ability to sense lingering spirits of those who've died by or committed violence. An ex-narc from the mean streets of Dallas, he was once a suspect in the death of his wife. All he wants is to regain his self-respect and live in peace. The discovery of the bones welcomes him to his new job as criminal investigator for the Grace County Sheriff's Department. As an investigative reporter for the Los Angeles Times, JESSICA WEST created false sources for a breaking news story, ruining her career and that of the man she loved. Now she writes feel-good pieces for the Grace County weekly and dreams of rebuilding her career. Crimes seldom happen in the backwoods of the Ozarks, but the discovery of the bones offers her a chance to renew her career. But should she take it? As Dal and Jessie investigate the circumstances of the murder, they develop a sensual and unsteady alliance. In the dark recesses of the county courthouse while they search through old files, a volatile relationship catches fire. A fire that will follow them through the investigation and into a dangerous cave deep in the wilderness where evil dwells.