With echoes of Demon Copperhead and Plainsong, a poignant story about a troubled boy on the run, an aging rancher, and a woman at a crossroads, who find unexpected solace and kinship in the family they make.

"With his long hair and penchant for guitar, teenage Justin is the spitting image of his idol, Kurt Cobain--a resemblance that has often marked him an outcast. When the long-simmering abuse from his uncle finally boils over, Justin has no choice but to break free--in a violent act that will haunt him--and try to make it on his own as a runaway. Meanwhile, in rural Montana, Rene Bouchard, a rancher nearing retirement, grieves the recent death of his wife. Her passing has revealed precisely how fractured the family has become--particularly the relationship between Rene and his daughter Lianne. As old wounds ache anew, father and daughter begin to doubt the possibility of reconciliation. ... Justin's wanderings bring him to the Bouchard family ranch, and soon Rene and Lianne take the boy in as their own. But before long, Justin's past threatens to catch up with him"--