"1790s, Maine. In the depths of winter Hortense, a midwife, disappears after attending a birth in the woodlands. During the search Will Rees finds her struggling through the snow and woods without shoes or a coat. Hortense claims to have been kidnapped, but Rees and his wife Lydia are suspicious. After two young men begin stalking the community in search of her - including targeting Rees's own family - it is agreed her presence is endangering everyone's safety. As arrangements are made for Hortense to leave, a Shaker Sister is brutally murdered. What is the truth behind Hortense's disappearance, and who is responsible for the death of the Sister? In search of answers, Will Rees finds himself on the trail of a ruthless killer"--Publisher's description.