For five heart-churning days, the world turns its attention to tiny Pridemore, Missouri, where rescue teams work around the clock to free a mentally challenged man from a collapsed cave. That's how Mayor Roe Tolliver envisions it, anyway. Weary of watching the town he s led for more than forty years slide into economic oblivion, the mayor hatches a devious and dangerous plan trap a local man in the bowels of nearby Dragon's Ice House cavern, start a massive rescue operation, and prompt a media vigil that puts Pridemore on the map for decades to come. Over the course of a year, the mayor and his cronies carry out the convoluted scheme, which involves everything from bilking state money for a bogus tourist attraction to hiring a militia "ballistics consultant" to detonate the limestone cavern. Their success hinges on unassuming pawn Digby Willers, whose simple-minded likeability provides human interest in the made-for-television crisis. As events unfold, however, forces beyond even the mayor s control turn Digby's rescue into a real, life-or-death drama. Get ready for a fast-paced romp filled with quirky characters, hilarious twists and turns, and a small town that just might get its fifteen minutes of fame.

Recommended to book clubs by 1 of 1 members.