In the book that started it all, Frannie O'Neal, a young and talented veterinarian whose husband was recently murdered, has just made a startling discovery in the woods near the animal hospital where she works. Soon after, Kit Harrison — an anxious and unconventional FBI agent — arrives on Frannie's doorstep. These two troubled people come together to learn the secret of what is happening in the woods — and the truth behind 11-year-old Max, Frannie's amazing discovery and one of the most unforgettable creations in thriller fiction.