Cal has always lived in the shadow of his domineering brother, Frank, who was doted upon by their mother and beloved by the girls in their small New England hometown. In an attempt to escape Frank's intrusive presence, Cal travels the world, prospecting for gold and eventually getting rich. As Cal's success grows, however, so too does Frank's influence upon his life. And, in this novel by the author of The Mosquito Coast, when Frank decides to commit the ultimate betrayal, Cal resorts to a desperate solution.