In the dead of winter, sixteen-year-old Ben Landry is exiled to a remote island in Lake Michigan, learning to hunt with his uncle and cousin and hiding out from gangsters. On his fi rst day there, he sees a girl at the edge of the woods, her long, white-blonde hair swirling around her. Or is it merely a gust of wind, a rising spiral of snow, and his imagination? Ben wants to be back home with his friends, his swim team, and reliable Internet service. But his father's enemies have threatened him and his family. As Ben explores the island, the pale girl reappears. He wins her trust and discovers she has a story to tell, of her past life and a tragic death on the island. Ultimately, the unlikely duo become allies in a battle against time and the dangers that stalk Ben. Will he survive, and if he does, how will having befriended this haunting figure affect him? Will it alter his relationships and change his life forever?