When student veterinarian Evan McEwan goes deep into the brush of Toronto's Don Valley to catch what he thinks is a stray puppy, he stumbles upon a human skull. While Evan continues his search for the pup, the homicide detectives Publishers Weekly called "captivating" sift through the past to determine whose skull it is and how it got there. Meanwhile, families with missing loved ones anxiously seek information and curious reporters try to get a scoop. Note: This book is a novella (just under 40,000 words) whereas the full-length novels are at least 125,000 words each. It takes place after Glitter of Diamonds and before Shadow of a Butterfly in the Paul Manziuk and Jacquie Ryan Mystery series ; however, you could read it at any time.