Please read "The Fern Valley Conspiracy" first. Richard West and his family are caught in an earthquake that isolates the town of Grantville, in the South Island of New Zealand. They find their way to Te Kouka Flats farm, which is deserted, with signs of a recent fire. The family search for survivors assisted by a ten year old boy with severe communication problems. What they find makes them targets for murderer Philip Zinsli.
A farm kill butcher, Philip Zinsli is a gigolo, marrying women for their money in order to achieve his ambition of owning a large farm in the South Island of New Zealand. When Zinsli finds he needs more land he launches a campaign of vandalism to force his neighbouring farmer to sell up. His neighbours, Greg and Sally Somerville, have a son who cannot communicate. When Sally sinks into despondency, Zinsli seizes his opportunity to further pressure Greg by seducing Sally. Zinsli manipulates Sally into making him her beneficiary should she...