In bestselling author Theodore Taylor's new novel, a 16 year-old boy must take care of his family's wildlife preserve, while handling the kidnapping of one of the most dangerous tigers known to man.

When a half-eaten body is found in a locked jaguar cage, Ben Jepson knows it's no prank--someone is trying to make trouble for the Los Coyotes big cat preserve and its manager, Dr. Peter Jepson, Ben's father. An outspoken conservationist, Dr. Jepson has made some powerful enemies. But which one is it? And why are they acting now, when Ben's parents are on a tiger conservation mission, deep in the jungle beyond telephones? Now Ben is the only one who can keep Los Coyotes running, which he does with help from the preserve's animal handlers and trusted advisers. But when Ben's beloved tiger Dmitri, nicknamed "Lord of the Kill" for his dangerous reputation, is kidnapped, Ben must decide whether to wait for the authories to handle the case or to strike out on his own.