It's 1970, and on the Windy Creek Reservation in South Dakota, amidst the rise of AIM in neighboring Pine Ridge, a baby boy appears on the doorstep of St. Rose Catholic Church. His appearance disrupts the life of reservation priest Father Joe Kreitzer. The child, whom they name Bear, finds refuge under the care of Father Joe's closest friend, Alice Nighthawk.

Thirteen years pass without event, when Alice's older son, Albert, is mysteriously murdered outside a bar in Rapid City, and Bear is accused of attempting to kill the only person who knows what happened that night. At the same time, Father Joe receives a letter from a person from his past, the only woman who made him question the path of priesthood. She has reached out to Father Joe as one of the few who might help her. To keep Bear's case from federal prosecution, Father Joe and Alice begin a search for Bear's long-lost mother. But their journey unearths more than they bargained for.

High Hawk is a rich tapestry of love and history, delving into the delicate intricacies of the past and the redemptive power of second chances. Through evocative prose, the lives of those on the fringes of American culture come alive, navigating adversity and forging connections against all odds.