The Robertson family has lived on their New South Wales sheep and cattle property, Brindabella, for five generations. However, their continued ownership of the farm is under threat. An adjoining property has been sold and the new owners are unfriendly to say the least. Then things start to go very wrong on Brindabella. Stock begins to die and there seems to be no reasonable explanation. Facing bankruptcy and the loss of Brindabella, Ben's father commences an opal-mining venture in Coober Pedy in South Australia's remote outback. But even here mysterious mishaps plague the smooth operation of what began as a successful opal mine. In this well-rounded, gripping story of rural crisis, Val Jones writes how lives are threatened and 'accidents' occur, which make life in Coober Pedy very dangerous. Suddenly opal mining isn’t as straightforward as it seems …