Sylvan Slough - Just a backwater of the Mighty Mississippi. Or is it? At times there's an aura of mystery about its pleasant waters and bucolic surroundings. And in this novel that presence affects the lives of five of its users: A woman ad executive, whose recreational bike rides provoke action and reaction. A successful young banker, who gets caught up in a vision of yellow who he meets on the slough. An almost retired freight dispatcher, who made a tragic mistake early in his life. A budding high school artist, caught up in youthful romance and more. A homeless bum, who has also lived with life-long guilt. Their lives come together as the past mixes with the present in the waters of Sylvan Slough.