Dr. Ben Cahill, a fine city doctor, gets so stressed by marital problems and alcohol that he freezes up under pressure in the emergency room. To get his act back together, he decides to unwind a few months in the house he and his ex bought on Orr island, an insignificant (former) fishermen place off the coast of Maine. He almost immediately becomes the butt of spite from a gang of local nobodies. After the doctor started examining, at the request of the reasonable sheriff Hobbs who leans to his side, some animal and human corpses with strange internal as well as external injuries, one of the brutes, not so handy handyman Jack Wald, has a fatal nocturnal accident crashing into Dr. Cahill's car. The doc observes one of the red cockroaches which recently infest the island has pincers, most unusual, reads up and contacts the university entomology department, where this African species isn't too well-known either...

Zach and Ben have been best buddies since they were in grade school. They were those "two guys" that we all know, opposites, but still the same kid. Their friendship continued through High School. Zach continually got them in trouble due to his carefree existence, and Ben was oblivious to everything as he became smitten by the girl of his dreams. Just as Ben got the nerve to pursue her, she moved out of the neighborhood, leaving Ben devastated for many years to come. Twelve years later, Ben & Zach, now in their mid-20's, still close friends, but have drifted apart due to making different choices in life. Ben is overworked and doesn't spend time doing the things he loves. He buries himself day and night in his work at a law firm. The only thing outside of work Ben has focused on is his life-long crush on the girl he met years ago in high school. Zach, an easy-going guy who enjoys everything he does...