A man. A tiger. A tornado. Jared Montaine owns a big cat rescue in Florida and faces financial pressures, getting over his ex-wife, and the challenge of suburbia creeping ever closer to his enclave for the animals. But when a tornado wrecks part of the refuge, Jared's worst fear comes to life: his Siberian tiger, Sultan, escapes. It's a big cat handler’s nightmare: a tiger on the loose, confused, lost -- and hungry. Jared races against the police, the media, and the hysterical public, all of whom are clamoring for the tiger's hide. He must re-capture Sultan before the cat is killed -- by traffic, by SWAT, or by a civilian who just wants to shoot a tiger. With fellow wildlife handlers at his side, Jared fights desperately to find and capture Sultan before the tiger injures or kills a human. Because that would lead to his worst nightmare -- having to kill the tiger he hand-raised from a cub. Jared’s commitment is tested -- to his animals, his refuge, and his belief that saving the life of even one tiger is worth losing everything.

The Tiger Whisperer

“That always creeps me out. I don’t know how you stand it.” Roscoe shivered and pulled his jacket around him.


“You’ll think about my offer.” Roscoe climbed into his car. This time Jared noticed it was new, some SUV. Red and snappy.


“I will think about it. And thanks again.” Jared waved as Roscoe drove off the property. He moved up and snapped the padlock on the front gate, the final lockdown for the night. Back in the habitats he checked a few cage locks, cooed to the lions, patted Rhiannon and Rasputan as he said good night. Sultan and Eloise chuffed at him through the wire. Their stripes glimmered in the ambient light; it was like watching a curtain of orange snakes dangle in the breeze.


He stood for a moment on his porch. Around him the night was lush with noise. He knew what to listen for. An owl hooted. He heard some of the cats breathing about him, their thick exhalations as soothing as a waterfall. A bat flitted over the security light near the fence.


Chapter 13