Phil Andrade figures he has it pretty-well dialed in.  Good job.  Sweet little town with all the right amenities.  He works hard, and in his free time, he bikes, hikes, and gardens.  He listens to jazz.  It’s all good.

Sure, his closest friends are a couple of crows, but even that’s okay.  After all, Phil isn’t much of a people person.  Acquaintances are fine; the rest is baggage.  Just ask his ex-girlfriend.

But Phil’s uncomplicated existence is about to unravel.  First, a problem client stiffs him for three month’s-worth of pay.  Twenty-four hours later, he’s living in his van.  Even as he scrambles to pull his life back together, prospects for full-time employment recede.

Meanwhile, Phil finds himself drawn into a series of mysteries:  a powerful old woman demonstrates an unsettling amount of knowledge regarding Phil’s situation.  Life takes a dark turn when the town is shocked by a brutal crime. 

And then there are the rats…