"There are those among us who can move at will between the world of the wolves and the world of the humans. My people call them skin walkers." Seattle police detective John Kanin has a problem. He's in love, but shortly after agreeing to marry him, his girlfriend disapears. His search leads to her home town, where people are clearly hiding information from him. One of the things they are hiding is the fact that they are all werewolves, as is John's girlfriend, Ruby.

In the 1950s, a Japanese-American fisherman is suspected of killing his neighbour at sea. For Ishmael, a local reporter, the trial strikes a deep emotional chord when he finds his ex-lover is linked to the case. As he investigates the killing, he uncovers some startling clues that lead him to a shocking discovery.