Summary

The Prologue is a brief explanation of the land where the novel takes place. It explains the vastness of the Queensland outback and the significance and history behind the stockman's grave.

Chapter 1 begins with Nathan Bright and his son Xander driving out to the stockman's grave, a location in the middle of the Queensland outback. There, they meet Nathan's brother, Bub, and inspect the body of the middle brother, Cameron, who died the day earlier. When Nathan arrives he talks to Bub to get some of the details of the events leading up to Cameron's death. As Nathan's interrogation ensues, Bub stumbles through his recollection of the previous day.

In Chapter 2 the two brothers and Xander head to find Cameron's car. Upon inspection, Nathan noticed that "nothing was wrong, and that in itself felt very wrong indeed" (18). The car had plenty of...