Deep in the heart of Appalachia, the red-light district of Cinder Bottom is notorious for its scandals and debauchery. People from surrounding cities flock to the small coal-mining town to gamble, drink moonshine, and visit brothels in the “Free State of McDowell.

” Anything that is said or done on its streets stays tucked away down in the holler like the town itself—and that makes Cinder Bottom the perfect place for fourteen-year-old troublemakers Smokey and Do What to get into mischief. It's 1958, and in the world outside, a junior congressman’s disappearance is the current Big News.

When the investigative trail leads a federal agent to the isolated town of Cinder Bottom, Smokey sees his chance for some excitement. But when his snooping reveals a darker plot that reaches far beyond the quiet slopes of his hometown, he and Do What are dragged into a tangled web of corruption, conspiracy, and danger like they never could have imagined.

Packed with unforgettable characters and compelling mystery, this Hardy Boys-style coming-of-age story melds the true historic setting of the gritty streets of Cinder Bottom with the youthful spirit of brotherhood and adventure. .