Set in Northern California in the late &;70s, this timeless coming-of-age story examines the nature of evil, the art of storytelling, and the possibility of redemption. Fifteen-year-old RJ Armante has never known a life outside his dead-end hometown of Arcangel, CA. The Blackjacks still rule as they have for generations, luring the poorest kids into their monopoly on petty crime. For years, they&;ve left RJ alone . . . until now. When the Blackjacks come knocking, they want RJ to prey upon an old loner. But RJ is at his breaking point. It&;s not just about the gang who rules the town. It&;s about Charley, his younger brother, who is disabled. It&;s about Roxanne, the girl he can&;t reach. It&;s about the kids in his crew who have nothing to live for. If RJ is to resist, he must fight to free Arcangel of its past.