The Lights of Two Pan

It's sort of a relief to have Ox Woolsey dead. It's not something his son, Jiggs, says out loud, but most folks in the fizzled-out town of Two Pan already know each other's business. Now Jiggs is free to grow his Oregon land, his cattle, and his frequently funny ideas to the Bonanza-big size of his childhood dreams-until the outsider arrives. Dr. Richard Jarmin frames the stunning landscape of the Eagle Cap Mountains in dollar signs-a perfect storm of vacation cabins and home-town atmosphere-and he's actively organizing the new development. Jiggs finds himself at the crossroads of saving the rascally townsfolk from urban destruction or investing in his own pursuits. Tormented by guilt and defiance, he discovers a solution to both problems: the secret to stopping change. When put to the test, his attempts to handcuff time focus a spotlight on long-kept mysteries and unsparing revelations. Shaken with unexpected truths, readers of The Lights of Two Pan will both howl and find comfort in uncertain futures, sleepless souls, and an unforgettable tale about the flaws in all of us.