Zion Kennedy is a quiet and extremely bright child. His powers of observation are remarkable and border on exceptional. During an unexpected summer visit to his grandfather's home, just a few hours south of the Windy City, Zion and his teenage sister learn that the visit may become permanent if their mother doesn't find a new job. Spending a summer in a small town takes some getting used to. It is definitely a summer to remember. Zion's summer in the small town that boasts the largest standing cross in the Midwest, is peppered with strange occurrences. There are a lot of missing people in Effingham. There is also small town politics, the distrust of strangers, the possible threat of a serial killer, and not to mention the belief that there might be a werewolf hiding in the cornfields of South Central Illinois.