Venus Diamond is a special agent for the Department of the Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service, newly married, and hours away from leaving for her honeymoon in Hawaii. She is called back to investigate the disappearance of Paris Nighteagle, a nine-month-old Native American baby, in Toleak, a small town next to the Bogachiel National Wildlife Preserve. There are numerous hoof-prints, thought to belong to an elk on the ground around the bassinet in the backyard, but after a thorough search, no other clues turn up.

In the Bogachiel Preserve, strange, unexplained things are happening. Poachers continue to mutilate the endangered Roosevelt Elk. In Toleak, the baby remains missing, but the townspeople have sightings of a half-elk, half-human they have named The Unknown. Traces of illegal substances found only in the Preserve are discovered in a black market medication, Elixir of Youth, and the many Wildcrafters who collect plants and herbs are all possible suspects. There is even a previously convicted child molester sporting a gecko tattoo running loose. When a hiker turns up dead and mutilated in the Preserve, there is more to his death than meets the eye and Venus is hot on the trail.

Her new husband, Richard, is bewildered and angered as to why Venus must take this case and interrupt their honeymoon, and frankly, I am too. There are other capable investigators on the job, even if Venus is more adept. It is difficult to believe that the newly married couple was unable to reconcile their differences about her career before marriage and give up without discussing their problems so soon after they say their vows.

The most far-fetched episode occurs when Richard leaves Venus alone in Toleak for ten days – they both pout and refuse to contact the other, and then, when they get back together, there is no discussion or resolution. Of course, if Venus is on her honeymoon in Hawaii, then she isn't investigating in Washington, but as a side-plot issue, it is lame. I would like to see Venus grow with her new experiences, rather than be paralyzed by problems from her past. Also, instead of being absent in more than one fourth of the pages, I would like her to take a more proactive role in the next story in the series.

In the book's favor, the mystery is riveting, chilling and believable. Ms. Moody's discerning imagery and realistic narration illustrates both the beauties of the Bogachiel's fragile ecosystem and the repulsive crimes taking place there. I found this book difficult to put down once I had reached the three-quarters mark. The mystery remains the focus of the book, a puzzle with some seemingly obvious layers, but with enough confounding twists and turns to make a satisfying read.

--Monica Pope