When a dead body falls out of the sky with every bone broken, every organ shattered, and no identification, Ellison and Sandburg know that they are not dealing with an ordinary criminal.

When archaeology student Martin Gillman is buried alive by a cave-in at an excavation site, Ellison and Sandburg suspect foul play. As they unearth vendettas between various members of the archaeological team allusions also surface to hidden treasure buried at the site.

Jim Ellison can't explain how Warren Chapel, a permanent patient at a maximum-security mental institution, has detailed firsthand knowledge of a string of grisly murders occurring around Cascade.