From bestselling author Ken Pratt comes a thrilling new chapter in the legendary Matt Bannister series, set in a world where past and present collide.
In 1932, Alex Wentworth, a determined journalist for The Jessup County Chronicles, embarks on a mission to uncover a long-lost tale buried in the ashes of the Branson Gazette. His journey leads him to the reclusive Matt Bannister, a man whose name has become legendary, though his story has never been told. When Matt finally agrees to an interview, Alex is thrust into a haunting narrative that begins in 1884.
Newly-married Matt, his son Gabriel, and their companions have just boarded a train for home, unaware of the nightmare that awaits them. When a devastating explosion shatters the calm, sending their railcar hurtling into the Columbia River and the rest of the train plummeting into a ravine, Matt and the survivors confront the unimaginable: an act of deliberate sabotage that claims the lives of fifty-nine passengers.
Driven by justice and a desperate need to return Gabriel home safely, Matt vows to track down the culprits. His quest leads him into the heart of a chilling conspiracy involving the powerful Stafford Milling Company and the Livengood Plantation, where greed and betrayal run deep.
As Matt's tale unfolds, Alex realizes he's not just documenting history-he's preserving a legacy. And there are many more stories waiting to be unearthed.