Francis McNally, the PI first introduced in Dark Time is back, and he's headed for Nunavut, that cold expanse of Canada north of Quebec and south of the Pole. Northward, however, centers less on the cold and topography and more on the Inuit mythology and traditions.

 

Though the circumstances differ greatly from his 2009 assignment in which he eschewed going there, he is still driven by the perceived failure of that previous attempt. Though semi-retired, he believes that his skills and expertise will get him through, but he’s unprepared for the spirituality of the Inuit community and the role mythology plays in their everyday lives.

 

With a critical issue at home complicating his situation further, McNally must somehow compartmentalize the issues, find the missing person, reconcile his own skepticism with the prevailing spirituality, and return to the wife who encouraged him to take this one last case.