While millions of Angelenos go about their daily lives unaware of the seismological danger that lurks beneath, Cal Stover, a dedicated geologist from US Geological Survey, uncovers the threat that could trigger disaster for all. When he is found murdered near a gold mine next to the San Andreas Fault, the police suspect a connection between the mine and his untimely death. Cal's friend and colleague, Alex Demurjian, a local geology professor, and Kiraz Karahan, an alluring lecturer from Istanbul, are unexpectedly thrown together. Through an intuitive sensitivity, she discovers when the Fault will slip. Can they save Greater Los Angeles from the impending peril? Will Cal's killer be caught? Along the way Alex and Kiraz experience not only the reconciliation of their ancestral past, but discover one another