July 4, 1972. A restless young Californian searches in western Ireland for a long-lost relative and ponders his uncertain future. He intervenes in a jewelry store robbery and is invited to stay with the shopkeeper and her niece. His persistent inquiries lead to investigations of possible conspiracies involving Spanish treasure and arms smuggling. When his findings threaten powerful interests, he's marked for elimination. As his time in Ireland runs short, frustration builds: the family search, his investigations, a budding romance with the niece—all seem to be going nowhere. Then everything changes… The plot unfolds against a background of Ireland's Troubles and the Vietnam War. At its heart, the novel is a love story in which echoes of history transform lives through unexpected means.