A married Minnesota English professor named Michael Ahearn becomes obsessed with Lara Purcell, who teaches political science at his university. When he travels with her to a Caribbean island where, after the death of her brother, she goes to sell the family-held Bay of Souls Hotel, Michael becomes involved in the corrupt island politics, which include a local war, a military junta, and interfering American business interests. And Lara becomes enmeshed in another side of the island culture: voodoo. A New York Times Notable Book for 2003.