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Mike Whittaker's little brother has drowned, dragging the high school senior into an abyss of grief and guilt. But when he learns what really happened at the Lawson town pool, despair turns to rage. After an assault on a classmate, Mike's only leverage is the truth about his brother's death - a secret that threatens the most powerful family in Lawson.
A legal gambit keeps Mike out of prison, sending him instead to a wilderness therapy program. There, he and his new, unlikely companions face their demons at an isolated mountain lodge under the tough-love guidance of an astute clinical psychologist and her husband, both military veterans and retired law-enforcement officers.
Backcountry life offers solace as each boy begins to come to terms with his past - until a suspicious accident leaves them stranded and unsupervised. They soon discover a menace within their group, and what began as a struggle for redemption becomes a fight for survival deep in the Montana wilderness.
"At a time of growing concern about the current generation of young males, this message from the trenches is affirming and inspiring..."
Michael Reichert, PhD, Author of How to Raise a Boy: The Power of Connection to Build Good Men
"Paul Cumbo has written a masterpiece that will grab you and hit you hard..."
Leonard Sax, MD, PhD, New York Times Bestselling Author of Boys Adrift: The Five Factors Driving the Growing Epidemic of Unmotivated Boys and Underachieving Young Men
"Powerful storytelling coupled with a spot-on portrayal of the teenage psyche..."
Michael Gurian, New York Times Bestselling Author of Saving Our Sons: A New Path for Raising Healthy and Resilient Boys
"A moving, slow-burn thriller...Cumbo offers readers a twisty psychological drama of loss, redemption, and trust..."
Kirkus Reviews
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