This novel, a thriller set in contemporary southern Wisconsin, is a story of the raging greed and immorality of our times. But it is also rooted in the history of a more gracious time and the fascinating history of a college faculty who always sought to instill in their students the highest moral standards, finally faltering only when the college itself was abandoned. Milton College really did exist, and had a long and respected tradition of public service from 1844 to 1982. It is a classic example of a college that should not have failed, but did. Friendships are forged at such an institution, but how many friendships can withstand the temptation of sudden wealth? Ironically, this genteel institution, or what is left of it, becomes the setting of an unbridled avarice that descends to the level of murder.