Journalist Orin Perth disappears in East Africa after delivering a powerful article on Christine Lokeka whose son Paul has been snatched by the militia. Orin's mother Liz is determined to find her son, despite her battle with cancer. As Liz and Christine deal with their sons' disappearances in different ways, Orin and Paul struggle to stay alive. This thrilling debut novel grapples with the ethical dilemmas of conflict reporting as seen through the complex relationships between mother and son.