When Richard West is asked to go to Fern Valley to save a school from closure he discovers a conspiracy of silence in the small community; the foresters, the farmers, the huge MALFOR company, and the teachers. There is also a strong distrust between Maori and European sectors. His second task is to find the school principal, who has simply disappeared. He finds people are resentful of his efforts and is puzzled by the questions he asks himself as he discovers more of this remote community. What is upsetting the Maori community? Why has a young surveyor disappeared? Where is the previous School Principal? Did the experienced Alex Jamieson die naturally in a tree fall, or was he murdered? What secrets are buried in the ancient burial caves? What are the MalFor payments hiding, and how does Richard break the cone of silence