A rip-roaring portrait of a man with the money, recklessness, and tenacity to pursue his single-minded goal of discovering a live dinosaur in the year 1903 has young, mild-mannered scientist Gerard Whitney answering a job ad only to find himself working for wealthy eccentric Harold B. Tucker on his Oklahoma ranch. Most days, Whitney is free to work on his scientific classifications, but when Tucker receives reports of hauntings, monster sightings, or other unexplained activity, Whitney must accompany him on his investigations. Sparing no expense, Tucker, his helpers, and his vast collection of firearms travel to Louisiana, Vermont, and ultimately to Venezuela, and neither Whitney nor Jenny, the Cherokee woman who is Tucker's wife and dinosaur-hunting partner, can persuade him out of threatening and bullying locals and even devastating ecosystems in pursuit of his impossible quarry. That both Tucker's companions and the novel's readers are inclined to forgive the manipulative, volatile dinosaur hunter is a testament to the author's character-building. For all his gruffness and his power, Tucker is a man compelled by a tragically unrealizeable dream, and the pathos of his situation is clear. Tense action scenes, including a particularly memorable haunted house, keep the pace moving at a brisk clip. A heartfelt and well-realized tall tale. --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.