This is the story of John and Kathy Wade, and what may or may not have happened to them at a summer cottage in Minnesota. All we know for certain by the end of the book is that Kathy has disappeared (dead? lost? runaway?) and that John has driven off into the lake to find her. This is one of the better-structured books I've ever read. John is a Vietnam vet, a failed politician, a practitioner of magic. Through evidence and flashbacks, O'Brien unveils him to be a complex man, with many dark secrets in his past. O'Brien uses these techniques well, and makes every hypothosis he presents seem plausible. This book is a very satisfying read and it will keep you guessing for years to come.