When his best friend Eddie Chavez disappears after they have spent the day together in the mountains of New Mexico, fifteen-year-old Alex cannot get anyone to believe his story and is even suspected of murdering the missing boy
Set in the 1890s, the story follows Maude as she navigates life in Eldorado, New Mexico, after the death of her mother and her father's abandonment. Determined to pursue her dream of becoming an artist, she takes a job in a boarding house, facing societal scorn for being a young woman alone. Despite the challenges and her strong-willed nature leading to trouble, Maude's journey is uplifted by the special friendships she forms, which ultimately support her aspirations and help her find her place in the world.