AustLit

'When a drought dries up the contents of a water hole on her uncle's property, the last thing Investigative journalist Phillipa Davenport expected to find was a body.

'On a deadline and with a severe case of writers block, Pip doesn't have time to investigate this story - she just wants to write her book. However, the universe and her neighbour seem to have other ideas. And then there's the mysterious detective assigned to the case, who Pip is beginning to find very distracting.

'When the only person of interest is a ninety year old war veteran, who's unable to communicate, and who appears to have been found unjustly guilty in the court of public opinion, Pip feels herself becoming drawn to the case despite the fact she simply doesn't have time to take it on. But how often does an eighty year old cold case murder land on your doorstep?

'With more questions arising with each layer of the past Pip peels back, she soon realises she's opened a can of worms and secrets thought long buried, suddenly emerge and bring with it some hard truths for the little town to face.' (Publication summary)