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Joe Pickett, recently fired from his job as a Wyoming Fish and Game Warden, has been working as the forman on his father-in-law's ranch when the governor stops by Saddlestring. He wants Joe to investigate four murders that took place in Yellowstone. In exchange Joe gets to be a game warden again. Not with his own district but more like a special projects game warden.

Clay McCann killed four campers in a remote corner of Yellowstone then went to a ranger station and turned himself in. Then he walked free. Thanks to the Sixth Amendment of the US Constitution which gives accused people the right to a speedy trial by a jury in the state and district where the crime has been committed. Since no one lived in this area a jury could not be made up. It was a "Zone of Death". The governor wants Joe to investigate and in exchange he gets to be a game warden again with back pay. By the way ... the governor never heard of Joe Pickett. He is on is own.

Needless to say Joe is not welcome when he arrives in Yellowstone. The National Park Service does not like the fact that the governor has sent someone to do an independent investigation. They believe they did a good job and don't want anymore negative publicity. The only person who is willing to help is one of the rangers, Judy Demming.

Clay McCann is an interesting, and contradictory, villain. Throughout the story he appears to be shrewd and stupid. Arrogant and sad. Villain and victim. What was his motive in killing the four campers? That is what Joe wants to learn. Of course he has his friend Nate Romanowski along to watch his back. Good thing!

There are a couple of interesting story lines in this book:
- One deals with the environment vs bio-mining. If Yellowstone's unique hot springs contain biological organisms that could potentially cure disease and save lives should mining be allowed?
- Another interesting story line dealt with the workers in the park. When you visit a National Park you see and think of the park rangers. But, there is whole other group of people who work in the parks. People who work in the inns, restaurants and souvenir shops. How do these different groups get along? Sometimes they don't.