AustLit

'Sardinia, two and a half centuries before Christ.

It is a night for wolves and witches.

'Across a wind-swept plateau two young lovers are pursued by a group of villagers intent on vengeance. Terrified, hungry and thirsty, the fugitives seek refuge in an ancient burial ground, the so-called ‘Domain of the Witches’.

'Desperate for water, the lad leaves a talisman, a golden image of the Bear-God Orso, with his beloved while he goes in search of a spring.

'Sardinia, the immediate aftermath of World War Two.

The village of Belpaese is in a frenzy. An archeological expedition has arrived and the avaricious inhabitants sense easy pickings.

'Piero, a peasant, finds the image of Orso, patron deity of the mysterious Brotherhood. This causes havoc. A web of lies is spun, greed spreads like a contagion, and life in Belpaese is irretrievably disrupted, to the priest’s dismay and the police sergeant’s despair.

'But the Brotherhood has eyes and ears everywhere. They want the amulet! Their Capo is ruthless and his henchmen embark on an orgy of desecration, abduction, rape and murder.

'The superstitious peasants attribute their village’s misfortunes to the witches. They seek scapegoats. Piero and his family! His daughter is taken for ransom. The talisman for her life!

'The young reporter Carlo and the policeman endeavour to meet with the Brotherhood. In the shadow of the brooding rock commanding Cape Orso, the chase culminates in a gripping, tension-packed climax which will leave the reader gasping.' (Publication summary)