In his work, Webster relates the story of Stan Stein. Stan runs a private detective agency with his old friend, Bud Randolph. One day, Stan goes to his high school reunion and sees his old high school sweetheart, Hannah Christian. Twenty years ago, Hannah broke his heart when she cheated on him. Stan has not gotten over this painful situation, but he still has a soft spot for her. During the reunion, they catch up on each other’s lives. A few days later, Hannah reaches out to Stan needing his help to find her husband, Jacob. He went on a business trip, but he never returned. Stan agrees to take the case and pulls Bud in on this journey. The deeper they dig into Jacob’s disappearance, the more they realize that the missing man has a few secrets.

The author establishes a sharp contrast between Stan and Bud. Stan stands for the truth, while Bud embodies false misinformation. For example, Bud does not believe in COVID-19 or the need for masks, whereas Stan takes every precaution not to catch the deadly virus. Bud is written as a very gullible character, believing whatever information is spread online and refusing to think anything to the contrary. In contrast, Stan is portrayed as the voice of reason and is not inclined to fall for this misinformation. On several occasions, Stan tries to reason with Bud, but the latter refuses to see the truth. Bud’s gullibility and adoration for his president prevent him from reasoning. Webster exposes the harsh realities of how misinformation spreads like a virus.

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