Calvin Bryson has hidden himself away from the world, losing himself in his work and his collection of rare and quirky books. But he never meant to let so much time go by without visiting his aunt and uncle. Their tiny town of New Cyprus, California - hemmed in by the Dead Mountains and the Colorado River - isn't the kind of place one just happens upon...

Coincidentally, their invitation to visit comes at the same time Calvin is asked to deliver to his uncle a peculiar family heirloom: the veil a long-dead aunt used when she held séances.

All signs point to New Cyprus. And when Calvin gets there, he'll discover the town's strange secrets and a mysterious group dedicated to preserving and protecting holy relics - a modern-day incarnation of the legendary Knights Templar...