In a quiet corner of the Pacific Northwest, Gene Rand found the perfect town to live in and escape his past. After leaving his harrowing career as a test driver and eluding his murderous ex-wife, Gene is ready to settle down amongst the silence of the redwoods and good people of Mapdot, California. Ready for peace and solitude, he begins to question the odd feeling in the picturesque little town, one that he can't quite see or touch, but strongly senses. Secrets are buried there, hidden in the shadows beyond his sight. All hopes of peace escape him when he rescues a local girl from certain death and becomes the reluctant town hero. Now with all eyes on him, questions that he'd rather not know the answer to arise and the feeling that plagues him only gets stronger. Why did the once-bustling tourism rate drop to nearly zero in the past decade? Why did a large, rocky island lush with fruit trees and roses suddenly appear off the coastline overnight? And why was he falling so easily in love with the mysterious and beautiful woman who owned the chocolate shoppe, whose secrets one could die for?