In 1972, Mark Moskowitz, the aged 18, read a rave review of a novel called The Stones of Summer. He bought it but couldn't get past the first few pages. Twenty-five years later he tried again, and this time fell in love with it.

Looking for other works by author Dow Mossman, he found no mention of either Mossman or his novel, which was long out of print. Thus begins one of the most enthralling mystery stories of recent years.

Travelling the country, he befirends critics, agents, and editors in the quest to discover how such a well-received book and it's author could have vanished completely from the scene. And while the journey is unusually cinematic, often hilariously funny, and ultimately poignant, it is also a riveting reminder of how some stories are so potent that people change their lives forever seeking the source.