For sixty years Jewish refugees and their descendants have prospered in the Federal District of Sitka. Now, after sixty years of federal neglect, the District is set to revert to Alaskan control, and their dream is coming to an end. But homicide detective Meyer Landsman has enough problems without worrying about the upcoming Reversion. And then someone's got the nerve to commit a murder in the flophouse Landsman calls home and he has to investigate.