In this sequel to Deadly Drifts, Macduff Brooks has survived the shoot-out on the Snake River in Wyoming. The following season, guiding on the Yellowstone River in Montana, when he reaches the takeout after a day's float, he discovers the body of the woman who shuttled his SUV and trailer. She may have been killed by the sister of a Mexican drug lord she offended, or by a member of People Against Recreational Angling (PARA), or by some agricultural or mining developers who wish to build a dam across Paradise Valley. Meanwhile, Macduff is being sought by Juan Pablo Herzog and Abdul Khaliq Isfahani, who a half-dozen years ago were responsible for nearly killing Macduff and requiring him to change his identity and location as part of a government protection program. He is also distressed over the injuries from the shoot-out to his ladyfriend, Lucinda Lang