andrew wrangles has a decision to make his best friend sothum a philosophical and financial genius has just died and left him a choice in his will ten million dollars or a sealed envelopeandrews wife cheryl doesnt see this as much of a choice she wants andrew to take the money and what little patience she has for his speculating about what could be worth more than ten million dollars is wearing thin very quicklybut as andrew digs deeper into the secret life that sothum lived he finds more questions than answers does the envelope contain the fate of a vanished mutual friend the answer to a terrible cosmic riddle the confession to a crime is sothum just playing a final private joke or has andrew become a pawn in a gamea game that sothum died playing against a bigger opponent than andrew can imagine