Cale, a bookish loner of mysterious parentage, was abandoned by her mother and raised by her grandfather in a loving, if co-dependent, household. One pivotal summer, her life is upended by the discovery of a devastating secret that will change her life forever. Set adrift for the first time in her life, Cale starts waitressing at the local diner, where she reconnects with Pen©lope Reyes, a charismatic former classmate and all-around hustler. Penny exposes Cale to the reality that exists beyond their small town, and the girls become inseparable - until one terrifying act of violence shatters their world. When Penny vanishes without a trace, Cale must set off on a dangerous quest across the desert to find her friend, and discover herself. Told in short, deftly interweaving chapters, A Prayer for Travelers explores the complicated legacy of the American West and the trauma of female experience.