Quinn Shepherd was the best guide on the Au Sable River, until he's found at the bottom of the river with his boat's anchor chain wrapped around his ankle. Lizzie, his wife, is devastated and is left alone to raise Josh, their six-year-old son.

His drowning was ruled accidental, but a year later new evidence is found, and Lizzie is arrested for murdering Quinn.

Burr Lafayette, recently divorced and the deposed head of a major Detroit law firm, is recruited to defend Lizzie. A man at loose ends, he is a brilliant litigator but prefers sailboats and dogs over courtrooms and clients.

The prosecutor has damning evidence. And sure, Quinn may not have been the perfect husband. But Burr discovers that The Gray Drake, the legendary lodge where Quinn guided, is full of secrets, and the storied Au Sable River won't give up the truth.