The medical apothecary, sleuth and former frontier scout is back. in 1748 he investigated the mysterious murders associated with The House of Dust. In 1750, he faced the deadly Witch of Death Swamp. In 1752, an entire town was threatened by an unearthly Abenaki menace freed from its prison in The Cellar in Ghost Hill.

Now, in his home town of Dereham in 1754 in New York Province, he must face a new menace and solve a new dilemma: How do you kill a ghost? And not just any ghost, but the ghost of a monster otter from 50 years ago.

Now, in the moonlit streets and lanes, one by one, certain townsfolk are vanishing. Vanishing? Or - consumed?

And not at random, but seemingly part of a murder-list.

But why? Could it be vengeance for some forgotten wrong?

If so, whose vengeance? And for what wrong?

Seth Athenor must find the answer. Not merely to prevent more murders, but because he has realized that his name is on the murder-list too...

"The author's descriptions of the 18th-century village make for a fascinating backdrop...The townspeople, many with names reminiscent of characters from Charles Dickens novels...are delightfully unlikeable; this makes for satisfying murder scenes...the mystery...progresses at a thrilling clip...Telemark's descriptive abilities and researching of the milieu lend ample verisimilitude. Unique characters inhabiting an interesting setting make for an engaging mystery. "
- Kirkus Reviews