Antler Dust — Mark Stevens

Antler Dust begins with a bang. Two bangs.

On the opening day of the hunting season in the Colorado Flat Tops wilderness, two men go missing. The first is a hunting guide. The second is an animal rights protestor who believes his creative suicide will galvanize the animal rights movement. Hunting guide Allison Coil hears a distant rifle shot and sees just enough through the swirling snow to believe somebody knows something -- and isn't coming forward. Forced to follow her own instincts when the authorities fail to follow through, Allison follows the trail of wounds, blood and fear. She uncovers an underground network of wildlife exploitation, frees a newfound friend from the grips of a violent backwoods monster, and finds that even her closest allies have dark secrets to hide.