In "A River Out of Eden", Hockenberry transforms this disturbing real-life incident into a work of compelling fiction. At the center of the novel is Francine Smoholla, a U.S. government marine biologist fighting to save salmon threatened by the dams that supply Washington's hydroelectric power. Francine also has a more personal interest in the collision between technology and the environment. A Chinook Indian, she has seen the catastrophic effects dams have had on her tribe's ancestral lands, livelihood, and traditional ways of life. When power company workers and forest service employees start turning up dead with elaborate native harpoons in their backs, suspicion quickly falls on the Chinook. Wondering just how far her tribe will go to protect their community, Francine quietly begins her own investigation.

As the body count escalates, a right-wing extremist sees his chance to further his twisted goals. His son, Duke, is caught up in his plans, but harbors a secret admiration for the Chinook and their traditions, an admiration that blossoms into something much deeper when he meets Francine. As heavy rains threaten the dams and old hatreds reignite, a long foretold Indian prophecy of apocalypse looms ever closer.