In September 1883, the skies of Australia turn a mysterious crimson. When a boy named Denny gets lost in a dust storm, members of his community begin scouring the Willochra Plain in search of him. Despite their assurances to his parents, the local authorities know that he’ll be dead within a matter of days if he isn’t found. The story that unfolds over the following week encompasses a broad range of characters—a newlywed constable and his roving bride, a Swedish painter, an Aboriginal laborer who patiently endures colonial condescension. Author Fiona McFarlane nimbly interweaves suspense, nature writing, and mysticism on a grand scale to create a thriller unlike any other.