Summary

Prologue – An unidentified narrator and another female are swept up in the current of a river in a storm. The narrator hears a voice calling out good riddance in triumph.

Chapter 1: Two Months Earlier – It is October. Children’s book writer, Sarah, author of the Miracle Mouse series (writing under her maiden name, Sarah Phoenix), has difficulty concentrating on her next story while her husband of three years, Dr. Johnny McDonald, is away from home at a conference in San Francisco. Sarah and Johnny live in the quiet town of Shadow Cove, Washington, on Sitka Lane. Sarah’s best friend, Natalie, due to leave for India with Dan, calls Sarah because she has always has a bad feeling before traveling. Johnny calls a short time later to see how Sarah is doing. As they talk on the phone, she notices a car pull...