Waking up in a rundown house on the outskirts of a mining town, Karl at first is uncertain who or where he is. What is certain is the pistol and cash in a duffel bag, and the grey Ford, modified for "leaving places quickly, but silently", in the garage. Over the next few days, as glimpses of his past emerge, Karl stikes up a friendship with his new neighbour, ten-year-old Henri. But Henri's dad is a small-time drugdealer fresh from the city, and his mother weak at protecting them against the violence of his father. All is not as it seems, however, as the real connection between Henri and Karl is revealed in Johan Vlok Louw's poignant and potent new novel.